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Archives|Rice Says Allies Are Willing to Help Train Iraqi Forces
Rice Says Allies Are Willing to Help Train Iraqi Forces
By BRIAN KNOWLTON JUNE 27, 2004
WASHINGTON, June 27 — On the eve of a NATO summit meeting in Istanbul, a top Bush administration official said she expected alliance members to begin sending training missions to Iraq quickly, "on a very urgent basis."
Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, said European reaction to the Iraqi request for help in training police officers and soldiers had been "very favorable."
"Really," she said on "Fox News Sunday," "they're in a phase of looking to quick implementation." The interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, formally requested such help last week, just ahead of the June 30 handover of limited sovereignty.
Ms. Rice said she doubted that the interim government would call for "a broad-scale state of emergency," as some have speculated — a situation that might have placed American troops in the awkward position of enforcing tough conditions more widely on the Iraqi population.
But she added that the new government would probably employ more members of the former Iraqi army, after vetting to ensure they had not taken part in past abuses.
As Dr. Allawi takes office rising anti-coalition violence will test the ability of his government, in coordination with a United States-led multinational force, to bring peace.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said today that he did not believe the new violence would require a larger American military deployment. He appeared heartened that despite the unrest, the 16 NATO countries now individually represented in Iraq were "all standing firm."
Dr. Allawi said today that he had asked Morocco, Bahrain and Oman to join the multinational force, Agence France-Presse reported from Baghdad. Such an Arab presence would be symbolically important.
Ms. Rice and Mr. Powell depicted the handover as a signal achievement. "The Iraqi people now have the opportunity to build a new society with a new political system resting on a foundation of democracy," Mr. Powell said on the CBS News program "Face the Nation." (Ms. Rice said President Bush would not attend the June 30 events, because "this is a moment for the Iraqis.")
But two prominent former Democratic officials raised strong cautions.
Richard C. Holbrooke, the former United Nations ambassador, said on the ABC News program "This Week" that the administration's experiment in Iraq was a risky leap into the unknown.
And Madeleine K. Albright, the former secretary of state, said on the NBC News program "Meet the Press" that there was "a real question as to whether the United States is safer today" as a result of the Iraq war.
A core test will be the ability of the United States-led multinational force and its Iraqi allies to restore peace. Despite the United Nations resolution passed this month to support the Iraqi transition, two large NATO members — France and Germany — remain opposed to sending troops.
But Ms. Rice predicted more support, of unspecified type, "now that there is a Security Council resolution and as the reconstruction phase really kicks in."
Mr. Powell acknowledged that the Iraqi resistance is better coordinated than had been thought. But he said he did not expect the American troop presence to grow beyond the current 138,000.
But a prominent Democratic senator just back from Iraq, Joseph R. Biden of Delaware, contested that, saying, "More troops are coming." Military officers there, he said on CBS-TV, "know they are going to need more troops," particularly as planned elections approach.
Ms. Rice said the interim government would draw on more past members of the former Iraqi army — she described them as "pretty sophisticated, pretty well trained" — to provide security.
The links of those ex-soldiers to the Saddam Hussein government were a central reason cited by the occupation authority for disbanding the army. That move has since been criticized for sending thousands of armed and disaffected men into the countryside as security needs went unmet.
Ms. Rice insisted, however, that the interim government was "as concerned as everybody that people with blood on their hands not be brought back."
"They recognize that the future of Iraq cannot be built on the pillars of the worst of the old Baath Party," she said.
Ms. Rice joined in a recent political spat over the extent of past contacts between Iraq and Al Qaeda. "We know that going back for more than a decade," she said, "there have been contacts and connections between security personnel from the Iraq security services and Al Qaeda."
The administration had sharply differed when the staff of the national commission studying the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks concluded that there was no credible evidence of a collaborative relationship.
A staff report said that while there had been contacts between the two, Iraq had failed to respond to a Qaeda request for help.
Former Vice President Al Gore helped revive the controversy on Thursday when he asserted that the Bush administration had invented such a connection — "a big, flamboyant lie," he called it — as a way to help increase its power.
But Mr. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney continue to underscore the fact that a relationship existed.
"This administration never said that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and Al Qaeda," Mr. Bush said on Thursday. "We did say there were numerous contacts between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda."
A version of this article appears in print on June 27, 2004 of the National edition with the headline: Rice Says Allies Are Willing to Help Train Iraqi Forces. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe


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IC 1101 je supergigantna eliptična galaksija u središtu nakupine galaksije Abell 2029 i jedna je od najvećih poznatih galaksija. Njegov se halo proteže oko 600 kiloparseka (2 milijuna svjetlosnih godina) od njegove jezgre, a ima masu od oko 100 bilijuna zvijezda. Galaksija se nalazi na 320 megaparseka (1,04 milijardi svjetlosnih godina) od Zemlje.

Fizička obilježja
Galaksija je klasificirana kao supergiganta eliptična (E) do lentikularna (S0) i najsvjetlija je galaksija u A2029 (otuda je i druga njena oznaka A2029-BCG; BCG znači najsvjetlija galaksija klastera ). O morfološkom tipu galaksije raspravlja se zbog toga što je moguće da ima oblik ravnog diska, ali da je vidljiv samo sa Zemlje u najširijim dimenzijama. Međutim, većina lećastih galaksija su veličine u rasponu od 15 do 37 parseka (50-120 tisuća ly).

IC 1101 spada među najveće poznate galaksije, ali u astronomskoj literaturi postoji rasprava o tome kako definirati veličinu takve galaksije. Fotografske ploče plave svjetlosti iz galaksije (zvijezde uzorkovanja isključujući difuzni halo) daju efektivni polumjer (polumjer unutar kojeg se emitira pola svjetlosti) od 65 ± 12 kpc (212 ± 39 tisuća ly ).  Galaksija ima vrlo veliki oreolo difuzne svjetlosti mnogo manjeg intenziteta koji se proteže do radijusa od 600 kpc (2 milijuna ly), a prema nekim istraživanjima moguće je da IC 1101 ima promjer od čak 6 milijuna svjetlonsih godina. Autori studije koji identificiraju halo zaključuju da je IC 1101 "vjerojatno jedna od najvećih i najsvjetlijih galaksija u svemiru".

Kao i većina velikih galaksija, IC 1101 naseljen je starim žutim zvijezdama, od kojih su neke sedam milijardi godina starije od Sunca, a riječ je o zvijezdama bogatim metalima. U središtu ima svijetli radio izvor, koji je vjerojatno povezan s ultramasiranom crnom rupom u rasponu mase od 40 do 100 milijardi masi Sunca, jednom od najvećih poznatih crnih rupa u svemiru.

Otkriće
Galaksiju je 19. lipnja 1790. otkrio britanski astronom William Herschel. Katalogizirao ga je 1895. John Louis Emil Dreyer kao 101. objekt Indeksnog kataloga (IC). Pri svom otkriću identificiran je kao nejasna osobina. Nakon otkrića Edwina Hubblea iz 1932. godine da su neke od "nebuloznih karakteristika" zapravo neovisne galaksije, izvršena je naknadna analiza objekata na nebu i zato je IC 1101 utvrđen kao jedna od neovisnih galaksija.

Vidi još

 Eliptična galaksija

1101
Galaktike u Djevici

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Tag Archives: presence
Recent Incidents of Persecution
Punjab, India, December 1 (CDN) — Hindu extremists on Nov. 14 beat a Christian in Moti Nagar, Ludhiana, threatening to harm him and his family if they attended Sunday worship. A source told Compass that a Hindu identified only as Munna had argued with a Christian identified only as Bindeshwar, insulting him for being a Christian, and beat him on Nov. 7. Munna then returned with a mob of about 50 Hindu extremists on Nov. 14. Armed with clubs and swords, they dragged Bindeshwar out of his house and severely beat him, claiming that Christians had offered money to Munna to convert. Local Christian leaders reported the matter to the police at Focal Point police station. Officers arrested three Hindu extremists, but under pressure from local Bharatiya Janata Party leaders released them without registering a First Information Report. Police brokered an agreement between the parties on Nov. 18 and vowed they would not allow further attacks on Christians.
Tripura – Hindu extremists attacked a prayer conference on Nov. 6 in Burburi, threatening Christians if they opened their mouths. A local evangelist known only as Hmunsiamliana told Compass that area Christian leaders organized a prayer conference on Nov. 5-7, but extremists ordered the participants not to open their mouth or make any sound. Christian leaders reported the threat to police, and the participants proceeded to pray aloud. On the nights of Nov. 6 and 7, a huge mob of Hindu extremists pelted the Christians with stones, but the participants continued praying. The meeting ended on the evening of Nov. 7 under police protection.
Chhattisgarh – Hindu extremists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) disrupted a Christian youth gathering in Raipur on Nov. 6 and accused organizers of forcible conversion. The Evangelical Fellowship of India reported that Vision India had organized the Central India Youth Festival with about 900 in attendance when the extremists stormed in at about 4:30 p.m. and began questioning leaders. The Christian and VHP leaders then held a meeting in the presence of police, with the Christian leaders explaining that it was a normal youth meeting with no forceful conversion taking place. Nevertheless, officers and VHP leaders proceeded to observe the gathering and proceedings, and the Christians were made to submit a list of participants. In this tense atmosphere, the meeting concluded at 10 p.m. under heavy police protection.
Madhya Pradesh – On Oct. 31 in Neemuch, Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal barged into a worship meeting shouting Hindu slogans and accused those present of forceful conversion. The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) reported that about 40 extremists rushed into the church building at about 10 a.m. shouting "Jai Shri Ram [Hail Lord Ram]." The Rev. K. Abraham, who was leading the service, pleaded with them to come back later, but the invaders remained and continued shouting. After the service ended, the extremists rushed Abraham and accused the church of paying money to people to convert, as published in newspaper Pupils Samachar. The Christians said the newspaper published the false news because Abraham, principal of United Alpha English School, refused to advertise in it, according to EFI. The extremists grabbed a woman in the congregation who had a bindi (dot) on her forehead, claimed that she had been lured to Christianity and asked her why she was attending the service, according to EFI. "Where were you people when I was demon-possessed?" the woman replied, according to EFI. "You didn't come to help me, but when I came to the church in God's presence, these people prayed for me and helped me to get deliverance."
Karnataka – Police on Oct. 29 detained Christians after Hindu extremists registered a false complaint of forced conversion in Kalammnagar village, Uttara Kannada. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that at around 8:15 p.m. police accompanied extremists belonging to the Bajrang Dal, who along with members of the media stormed the Blessing Youth Mission Church during a worship service for senior citizens. They dragged out Ayesha Nareth, Hanumanta Unikal,Viru Basha Doddamani, Narayana Unikkal and Pastor Subash Deshrath Nalude, forced them into a police jeep and took them to the Yellapur police station. After interrogation for nearly six hours, the Christians were released without being charged.
Orissa – Hindu extremists refused to allow the burial of a 3-year-old Dalit Christian who died in Jinduguda, Malkangiri. The All India Christian Council (AICC) reported that the daughter of unidentified Christian tribal people fell ill and was taken to a nearby health center on Oct. 27. The doctor advised the parents to take the child to a nearby hospital, and the girl developed complications and died there. When the parents brought the body of the girl back to their village, according to AICC, Hindus refused to allow them to bury her with a Christian ritual. There are only 15 Christian families in the predominantly Hindu village. With the intervention of local Christian leaders, police allowed the burial of the body in a Christian cemetery.
Karnataka – On Oct. 6 in Beridigere, Davanagere, a Christian family that converted from Hinduism was assaulted because of their faith in Christ. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that the attack appeared to have been orchestrated to appear as if the family provoked it. An elderly woman, Gauri Bai, went to the house of the Christian family and picked a quarrel with them. Bai started shouting and screaming for help, and suddenly about 20 Hindu extremists stormed in and began beating the Christians. They dragged Ramesh Naik out to the street, tied him to a pole, beat him and poured liquor into his mouth and onto his body. His sister, Laititha Naik, managed to escape and called her mother. Later that day, at about 8:30 p.m., the extremists pelted their house with stones, and then about 70 people broke in and began striking them with sickles, stones and clubs. Two brothers, Ramesh Naik and Santhosh Naik, managed to escape with their mother in the darkness, but the Hindu extremists took hold of their sister Lalitha and younger brother Suresh and beat them; they began bleeding and lost consciousness. The attackers continued to vandalize the house, damaging the roof and three doors with large boulders. The unconscious victims received treatment for head injuries and numerous cuts at a government hospital. Police from the Haluvagalu police station arrested 15 persons in connection with the assault.
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Iraqis Mourn Victims of Massive Attack on Church
Islamic extremist assault, security force operation leave at least 58 dead.
ISTANBUL, November 2 (CDN) — Amid questions about lax security, mourners gathered in Iraq today to bury the victims of Sunday's (Oct. 31) Islamic extremist assault on a Syrian Catholic Church in Baghdad, one of the bloodiest attacks on the country's dwindling Christian community.
Seven or eight Islamic militants stormed into Our Lady of Salvation church during evening mass after detonating bombs in the neighborhood, gunning down two policemen at the stock exchange across the street, and blowing up their own car, according to The Associated Press (AP). More than 100 people were reportedly attending mass.
A militant organization called the Islamic State of Iraq, which has links to al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, claimed responsibility for the attack. The militants sprayed the sanctuary with bullets and ordered a priest to call the Vatican to demand the release of Muslim women whom they claimed were held hostage by the Coptic Church in Egypt, according to the AP. The militants also reportedly demanded the release of al Qaeda prisoners.
"It appears to be a well-planned and strategic attack aiming at the church," said a local source for ministry organization Open Doors.
About four hours after the siege, Iraqi security forces launched an assault on the church building, and the Islamic assailants blew themselves up. It was unclear how many of the 58 people dead had been killed by Iraqi security personnel, but the militants reportedly began killing hostages when the security force assault began. All who did not die from gunshots and blasts were wounded.
The dead included 12 policemen, three priests and five bystanders from the car bombing and other blasts outside the church. The Open Doors source reported that the priests killed were the Rev. Saad Abdal Tha'ir, the Rev. Waseem Tabeeh and the Rev. Raphael Qatin, with the latter not succumbing until he had been taken to a hospital.
Bishop Georges Casmoussa told Compass that today Iraqi Christians not only mourned lost brothers and sisters but were tempted to lose hope.
"It's a personal loss and a Christian loss," said Casmoussa. "It's not just people they kill. They also kill hope. We want to look at the future. They want to kill the Christian presence here, where we have so much history."
Casmoussa, who knew the priests who died, said that this attack will surely drive more Christians away from the country or to Kurdish administrated northern Iraq.
"Those who are wounded know that it is by the grace of God they are alive, but some of them don't know exactly what happened," said Casmoussa. "There is one hurt man who doesn't know if his son is still alive. This is the drama. There are families that lost two and three members. Do I have the right to tell them to not leave?"
The attack was the deadliest one against the country's Christians since Islamic extremists began targeting them in 2003.
"It was the hardest hit against the Christians in Iraq," said Casmoussa, noting that no single act of violence had led to more casualties among Christians. "We never had such an attack against a church or Christian community."
Memorials were held today in Baghdad, Mosul and surrounding towns, said Casmoussa, who attended the funeral of 13 deceased Christians including the dead priests.
"At the funeral there was the Shiite leader, the official spokesperson of the government ministers," Casmoussa said. "All the discussion was flippant – 'We are with you, we are all suffering,' etcetera, but we have demanded a serious investigation. We can't count on good words anymore. It's all air. We've heard enough."
The Rev. Emanuel Youkhana of the Church of the East told Compass that Iraqi Christians have been systematically driven out over the last five years. He said this attack came as no surprise to him.
"I'm not surprised, in that this is not the first time," said Youkhana. "In the last five years, there has been a systematic terrorist campaign to kick out the Christians from the country. [They are saying] you are not accepted in this country. Christians should leave this country."
Youkhana said that in the same way that the Jewish community has disappeared from Iraq, the Iraqi Christians, or Medians as they are called, "are in their last stage of existence" in Iraq.
The Iraqi government is to blame due to its lax security measures, Youkhana said.
"I'm ashamed of the minister of defense, who came on TV and said it was a successful and professional operation – 50 percent of the [congregation] was massacred," said Youkhana of the assault on the Islamic terrorists by Iraqi security forces.
He said that in order for Christians to have any hope of staying in Iraq, the government must come up with a political solution and set up an independent administrative area, like that of the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq.
"Just now I was watching on TV the coverage of the funeral," Youkhana said. "All the politicians are there to condemn the act. So what? Is the condemnation enough to give confidence to the people? No!"
It is estimated that more than 50 percent of Iraq's Christian community has fled the country since 2003. There are nearly 600,000 Christians left in Iraq.
"More people will leave, and this is the intention of the terrorists: to claim Iraq as a pure Islamic state," said Youkhana. "Our people are so peaceful and weak; they cannot confront the terrorists. So they are fleeing out of the country and to the north. This is why we say there should be political recognition."
Five suspects were arrested in connection with the attack – some of them were not Iraqi, and today an Iraqi police commander was detained for questioning in connection to the attack, according to the AP.
"We can't make political demands," said Casmoussa. "We are making a civic and humanitarian demand: That we can live in peace."
Following the funerals today, a series of at least 13 bombings and mortar strikes in predominantly Shiite neighborhoods of Baghdad reportedly killed 76 people and wounded nearly 200.
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Christian in Bhutan Imprisoned for Showing Film on Christ
Court sentences him to three years on dubious charge of 'attempt to promote civil unrest.'
NEW DELHI, October 18 (CDN) — A court in predominantly Buddhist Bhutan has sentenced a Christian to three years in prison for "attempting to promote civil unrest" by screening films on Christianity.
A local court in Gelephu convicted Prem Singh Gurung, a 40-year-old ethnic Nepalese citizen from Sarpang district in south Bhutan, on Oct. 6, according to the government-run daily Kuensel.
Gurung was arrested four months ago after local residents complained that he was showing Christian films in Gonggaon and Simkharkha villages in Jigmecholing block. Gurung invited villagers to watch Nepali movies, and between each feature he showed films on Christianity.
Government attorneys could not prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that Gurung promoted civil unrest, and therefore "he was charged with an attempt to promote civil unrest," the daily reported.
Gurung was also charged with violation of the Bhutan Information, Communication and Media Act of 2006. Sections 105(1) and 110 of this law require that authorities examine all films before public screening.
A Christian from Bhutan's capital, Thimphu, told Compass that the conviction of Gurung disturbed area villagers.
While Gurung has the right to appeal, it remained unclear if he had the resources to take that course.
Both Gonggaon and Simkharkha are virtually inaccessible. It can take up to 24 and 48 hours to reach the villages from the nearest road.
"Both villages do not have electricity," the daily reported. "But Prem Singh Gurung, with the help of some people, is believed to have carried a projector and a generator to screen the movies in the village."
Over 75 percent of the 683,407 people in Bhutan are Buddhist, mainly from western and eastern parts. Hindus, mostly ethnic Nepalese from southern Bhutan, are estimated to be around 22 percent of the population.
It is also estimated that around 6,000 Bhutanese, mostly from south, are Christian in this landlocked nation between India and China. However, their presence is not officially acknowledged in the country. As a result, they practice their faith from the confines of their homes, with no Christian institution officially registered.
Buddhism is the state religion in Bhutan, and the government is mandated to protect its culture and religion according to the 2008 constitution. As in other parts of South Asia, people in Bhutan mistakenly believe that Christianity is a Western faith and that missionaries give monetary benefits to convert people from other religions.
Yesterday's Kuensel published an opinion piece by a Bhutanese woman from New York who described herself as "an aspiring Buddhist" condemning both the conviction of Gurung and Christian "tactics."
"Although we may not like the tactics used by the Christians to proselytize or 'sell' their religion to impoverished and vulnerable groups, let's not lose sight of the bigger picture, in terms of religious tolerance, and what constitutes 'promoting civil unrest,'" wrote Sonam Ongmo. "If we truly want to establish ourselves as a well-functioning democracy, with equal rights for all, let's start with one of the fundamental ones – the right to choose one's faith. We have nothing to worry about Buddhism losing ground to Christianity, but we will if, as a predominantly Buddhist state, we start to deny people the right to their faith."
While her view is representative of liberal Buddhists in Bhutan, a reader's response in a forum on Kuensel's website reflected the harder line.
"These Christians are a cancer to our society," wrote a reader identifying himself as The Last Dragon. "They had crusades after crusades – we don't need that. We are very happy with Buddhism. Once Christianity is perfect – as they always claim [it] to be, then let's see."
In July, the government of Bhutan proposed an amendment in the Penal Code of Bhutan which would punish "proselytizing" that "uses coercion or other forms of inducement." (See, "Buddhist Bhutan Proposes 'Anti-Conversion' Law," July 21.)
Christian persecution arose in Bhutan in the 1980s, when the king began a "one-nation, one-people" campaign to "protect the country's sovereignty and cultural integrity." Ethnic Nepalese, however, protested the move on grounds of discrimination. Authorities responded militarily, leading to the expulsion or voluntary migration of over 100,000 ethnic Nepalese, many of whom were secret Christians, to the Nepal side of the border in Jhapa in the early 1990s.
An absolute monarchy for over 100 years, Bhutan became a democratic, constitutional monarchy in March 2008, in accordance with the wish of former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who served from 1972 to 2006. Since the advent of democracy, the country has brought in many reforms. It is generally believed that the government is gradually giving more freedom to its citizens.
The present king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and Prime Minister Lyonchen Jigmey Thinley, are respected by almost all Bhutanese and are seen as benevolent rulers.
Posted in Bhutan, Buddhism, China, Christianity, Hinduism, India, Nepal, New York, USA	| Tagged 1972, 2006, absolute, accordance, acknowledged, advent, amendment, anti-conversion, appeal, area, arrested, Asia, aspiring, attempt, attorneys, authorities, became, began, believe, believed, benefits, benevolent, between, beyond, Bhutan, Bhutan Information Communication and Media Act, Bhutanese, bigger, Block, border, brought, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhists, campaign, cancer, capital, carried, charge, charged, China, choose, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Christians, citizen, civil, claim, coercion, complained, condemning, confines, constitutes, constitution, constitutional, convert, convicted, conviction, country, course, court, crusades, cultural, culture, daily, democracy, Democratic, deny, described, Discrimination, district, disturbed, doubt, dubious, eastern, electricity, equal, establish, ethnic, examine, expulsion, faith, feature, film, films, former, forms, forum, freedom, fundamental, Gelephu, generally, generator, give, giving, Gonggaon, government, government-run, gradually, ground, grounds, groups, happy, harder, help, Hindu, Hinduism, Hindus, homes, identifying, impoverished, imprisoned, inaccessible, India, inducement, Institution, integrity, invited, Jhapa, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Jigmecholing, king, Kuensel, landlocked, law, leading, Liberal, line, local, lose, losing, Lyonchen Jigmey Thinley, mandated, migration, militarily, missionaries, mistakenly, monarchy, monetary, move, movies, nation, nearest, need, Nepal, Nepalese, Nepali, New York, officially, one-nation, one-people, opinion, parts, Penal Code of Bhutan, people, perfect, Persecution, picture, piece, practice, predominantly, Prem Singh Gurung, presence, present, Prime Minister, prison, projector, promote, proposed, proselytize, proselytizing, protect, protested, prove, public, published, punish, readers, reasonable, reflected, reforms, registered, religion, religions, religious, remained, representative, require, residents, resources, respected, response, result, right, rights, road, rulers, Sarpang, screen, screening, secret, Section 105 (1), Section 110, sell, sentenced, sentences, served, showing, side, sight, Simkharkha, Society, Sonam Ongmo, sourth, south, sovereignty, start, state, tactics, terms, The Last Dragon, Thimphu, tolerance, truly, unclear, unrest, uses, view, villagers, villages, violation, virtually, voluntary, vulnerable, want, watch, Website, well-functioning, western, wish, woman, worry, wrote | Leave a comment
Muslims in Bekasi, Indonesia Oppose Another Church Building
Islamists decry 'center of Christianization' in West Java, where anti-Christian hostilities fester.
JAKARTA, Indonesia, October 13 (CDN) — Islamic organizations have mounted a campaign against the planned construction of Mother Teresa Catholic Church in West Java Province, where Christian leaders report 20 other churches have faced Muslim hostility since 2009.
Muslim leaders said plans for the Mother Teresa church in the Lippo Cikarang property project in the Cikarang area will make it the largest church building in Bekasi City. Adang Permana, general chairman of the Bekasi Islamic Youth Movement, said Bekasi area Muslims oppose the church building because they fear it will become "a center of Christianization," according to the Islamic website Hidayatullah.com.
"This church will become the center of apostasy and clearly disturb the faith of Bekasi citizens, who are mostly Muslims," Permana said, according to the website. "In addition to rejecting this parish church, we also call for the disbanding of all unauthorized churches in Bekasi Regency [City]," he stated. A church leader, however, said area residents had approved the presence of the church.
Adang said opposition to the church was based in the Islamic roots of the city.
"Historically, sociologically, and demographically, Bekasi cannot be separated from Islam, with the cleric K.H. Noer Ali as one of the founders and developers of the city," Adang told Hidayatullah.com. "Because of this, we reject the church."
H.M. Dahlan, coordinator of United Muslim Action of Bekasi, also expressed fear that the church would become a center of Christianization in Bekasi.
"Bekasi Muslims reject the presence of this church," Dahlan said in a letter that he has circulated among mosques in the Bekasi area. In it he states that plans for the Mother Teresa church would make it the largest church building in southeast Asia. The letter has reportedly generated much unrest among area residents.
At a recent press conference, Dahlan said Unified Muslim Action of Bekasi, along with "all Muslims, mosque congregations, leaders of women's study groups, Quranic schools, and Islamic education foundations have firmly decided to reject the construction of Mother Teresa Catholic Church in Cikarang and request that the Bekasi Regency cancel all [construction] plans."
The Islamic groups also called on Bekasi officials to clamp down on "illegal churches" meeting in homes and shops and to block "all forms of Christianization" in the area. Local government officials frequently stall Christian applications for building and worship permits, opening the way for Islamic groups to accuse churches of being "illegal."
The Mother Teresa church applied for a building permit in 2006, but the Bekasi government has not yet acted on the application, said a clergyman from the church identified only as Pangestu. He added that his church has met all requirements of 2006 Joint Ministerial Decrees No. 8 and No. 9, but the permit has still not been granted. The 2006 decrees require at least 60 non-Christian residents to agree to the construction of a church building, and the congregation must have at least 90 members.
The parish now worships at the Trinity School auditorium.
Pangestu said the church has provided school funds for poor children, free clinics, and food for needy neighbors.
"There are no problems between the church and the local people," Pangestu said.
Mother Teresa Catholic Church began worshiping on Jan. 25, 2004. The church plans to build on an 8,000-square meter lot near Trinity School.
The objections from Islamic groups are the latest evidence of Islamic hostility to churches. Theophilus Bela, president of the Jakarta Christian Communication Forum, released a statement this week that 36 churches in Indonesia have been attacked, harassed or otherwise opposed since 2009; 20 of the churches were located in West Java, with six of those in the Bekasi area.
The list is growing, Bela said, and does not yet include recent reports of 10 churches that local authorities were opposing in Mojokerto, East Java Province, and three others that were closed down in Tembilahan, Riau Province.
Still, large-scale attacks on Christians do not happen as they did in the 1990s and before, he said.
"Now the attacks on churches happen only sporadically," Bela reported. "In 2007 I noted 100 cases of attacks, and in 2008 the figure went down to only 40 cases, and until October 2009 I noted only eight cases of attacks on Christian churches. But with an attack on St. Albert Catholic Church on Dec. 17, 2009, the figure of cases went up again."
Posted in Christianity, Indonesia, Islam, Roman Catholicism	| Tagged 2004, 2006, 2006 Joint Ministerial Decree No. 9, 2007, 2008, 2009, accuse, acted, Adang Permana, against, agree, anti-Christian, apostasy, application, applications, applied, approved, area, Asia, attacked, auditorium, authorities, based, become, Bekasi, Bekasi City, Bekasi islamic Youth Movement, Bekasi Regency, Block, building, call, campaign, cancel, cannot, center, children, Christian, Christianity, Christianization, Christians, church, churches, Cikarang, circulated, citizens, city, clamp, clergyman, cleric, clinics, closed, construction, coordinator, decided, decrees, decry, demographically, developers, disbanding, disturb, down, East Java Province, education, evidence, expressed, faced, faith, fear, fester, firmly, food, forms, foundations, founders, free, frequently, funds, general chairman, generated, government, granted, groups, growing, H.M. Dahlan, happen, harassed, Hidayatullah.com, historically, homes, hostilities, identified, illegal, Indonesia, Islam, Islamic, Islamists, Jakarta, Jakarta Christian Communication Forum, Joint Ministerial Decree No. 8, K.H. Noer Ali, large-scale, largest, latest, leader, leaders, letter, Lippo Cikarang, list, local, located, meeting, members, met, Mojokerto, mosques, Mother Teresa Catholic Church, mounted, Muslim, muslims, needy, neighbors, non-Christian, objections, officials, opening, oppose, opposed, opposing, organizations, Pangestu, parish, people, permit, permits, Persecution, planned, plans, poor, presence, President, press conference, problems, project, property, provided, Quranic, reject, rejecting, released, request, require, requirements, residents, Riau Province, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, roots, school, schools, separated, shops, sociologically, southeast, sporadically, St. Albert Catholic Church, stall, statement, study, Tembilahan, Theophilus Bela, Trinity School, unauthorized, United Muslim Action of Bekasi, unrest, way, Website, West Java, West Java Province, womens, worship, worshipping | Leave a comment
Government crackdown on missionary presence could get worse
The Kazakh government continues to put pressure on foreign missionaries attempting to obtain visas to stay in the country. The Kazakh church is prepared for matters to get worse, reports MNN.
"Foreign involvement for the purpose of missionary work in Kazakhstan becomes increasingly difficult to happen," confirms Eric Mock, vice president of Ministry Operations for Slavic Gospel Association.
Norwegian news network Forum 18 conveys a number of instances in which the Kazakh government has denied visas to foreign missionaries of various minority faiths. A missionary visa, as it is, lasts only 180 days and cannot be renewed.
Mock says there is some fear that the visas will become even more restrictive. According to Forum 18, the Nur Otan Party has even created a document calling for further crackdown on "non-traditional faiths." Forum 18 quotes a report as saying, "The Nur Otan Party should devote special attention to the activity of non-traditional religious movements of destructive character. The destructive impact of such movements is very great."
With clear contempt toward the presence of evangelical Christian missionaries as well as missionaries for other minority faiths, the church as well as ministries like SGA need to prepare for any change. "[We need to] be sure that we do not assume that the world that we minister in today is the same that we minister in tomorrow," says Mock.
Whether or not missionary presence is increasingly restricted does not directly affect SGA, since their ministry mainly focuses on helping nationals. Still, won't a crackdown harm the church? Mock says not as much as you might think.
"There is one thing that I saw [in Kazakhstan] that mostly encouraged my heart," explains Mock. "I saw a group of ethnic Kazakh young men who God has raised up with a passion to reach their own people. I had not really seen that in the past; it [had been] more of a Russian Baptist influence, but now I'm seeing Kazakh Baptist."
As long as changes don't happen too abruptly, Mock says he believes the church will be able to handle any blows headed their way. The energy generated by young church leaders could be just what the Kazakh church needs to become self-sustaining. "With this new generation coming up, I think even with law changes, God has raised up this younger generation to make a profound impact for the sake of the Gospel."
If laws are passed too quickly or even just gradually, their effects will still of course be evident in the church. Mock says the best thing that we can do for them now is to pray. "There is nothing more important than praying for the believers in Kazakhstan to be passionate in reaching their own people, and to see more churches planted with that same commitment to advance the Gospel."
Posted in Baptist, Christianity, Kazakhstan, Russia	| Tagged able, abruptly, activity, advance, affect, assume, attempting, attention, Baptist, becomes, believers, believes, blows, calling, change, changes, character, Christian, Christianity, Christians, church, churches, clear, commitment, contempt, continues, country, crackdown, created, denied, destructive, devote, difficult, directly, document, effects, encouraged, energy, Eric Mock, ethnic, Evangelical, evident, faiths, fear, focuses, foreign, generated, generation, God, gospel, government, gradually, great, group, handle, happen, harm, headed, heart, helping, impact, important, increasingly, influence, instances, involvement, Kazakh, Kazakhstan, law, leaders, mainly, matters, men, minister, ministry, Ministry Operations, minority, missionaries, missionary, movements, nationals, need, new, non-traditional, nothing, Nur Otan Party, obtain, own, passed, passion, passionate, past, people, Persecution, planted, pray, praying, prepare, prepared, presence, pressure, profound, quickly, raised, reach, reaching, religious, renewed, restrictive, Russia, Russian, sake, seeing, self-sustaining, SGA, Slavic Gospel Association, special, stay, toward, various, Vice President, visas, way, work, world, worse, young, younger | Leave a comment
Posted on October 3, 2010 by particularkev
Tamil Nadu, India, September 30 (CDN) — Police detained evangelist V.K. Williams and seven other Christians after Hindu extremists disrupted their evangelistic meeting on Sept. 29 in Theni, according to the Global Council of Indian Christians. The extremists filed a complaint against the Christians of "forceful conversion" and pressured police to arrest them, and officers took the eight Christians to the station for questioning. At press time, area Christian leaders were trying to free them.
West Bengal – On Sept. 26 in Purulia, Hindu extremists stopped a worship service and dragged Christians out, saying no more prayer or worship should take place in the village. A source in Kolkata reported that the extremists were threatening to kill the Christians if they did not convert to Hinduism. The Christians reported the matter to the Kenda Police Station. Officers summoned both parties to the police station, but the extremists threatened to kill the Christians if they went.
Karnataka – Hindu extremists belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bajrang Dal attacked Gnanodya Church at Yellapura, Karwar district, on Sept. 26. The All India Christian Council reported that the assailants broke into a church worship service after having filed a complaint against Pastor Shiva Ram of "forcible conversions." In the presence of the police, the attackers started to vandalize the church, pulling down calendars and breaking furniture. Church members said their pastor was targeted because of his social service works. Police took the pastor into custody and jailed him.
Karnataka – Karnataka police on Sept. 26 arrested a Pentecostal pastor, Shivanda Siddi, on false charges of "forceful conversions" in Mundgod. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that at about 11 a.m. five Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal stormed the church building while Christians were praying and began arguing with the pastor. They beat him, stripped him of his clothes and took Bibles from those present. The extremists later telephoned police in Yellapur, about three kilometers away (less than two miles), and an inspector arrived and took the pastor, seven women and two young children to the police station. The extremists continued to threaten the Christians in front of police, who watched in silence. With GCIC intervention, police released the women and children without charges, but Pastor Siddi was charged with "defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class." He was put in Uttar Kananda's Sirsi prison.
Karnataka – On Sept. 19 in Santhemarnalli, police led by Inspector Madhava Swamy threatened a pastor with harm if he did not stop alleged "forceful conversion" activities. The All India Christian Council reported that police threatened Pastor Mhades of Good Shepherd Community Church after Hindu extremists filed the complaint against him. Police barged into his church, questioned him and told him that they would take action against him if he did not stop trying to convert people. Area Christian leaders claimed that there was no case of forceful conversion, and that Christians were only conducting their regular worship services.
Andhra Pradesh – Police on Sept. 17 arrested a Christian convert from Islam, Sheik Magbool, after Muslim extremists filed a complaint against him of uttering derogatory remarks against the prophet of Islam, Muhammad, in Kurnool. A source reported that Maqbool organized a three-day, open air Christian meeting and distributed some tracts that allegedly contained comparisons between the teachings of Jesus Christ and those of Muhammad. The Muslim extremists accused Maqbool of making derogatory remarks against Muhammad, threatened to kill him and filed a police complaint against him. Area Christian leaders maintained that the tracts did not contain any hateful remarks against Muhammad; they asserted that the Muslim extremists reprinted the tracts after adding some lines insulting to Muhammad in order to fabricate a case against the Christians. Maqbool was put in a jail cell, with the Down Court rejecting his petition for bail on Sept. 21.
Chhattisgarh – On Sept. 15 in Raipur, Hindu extremists misrepresenting themselves as journalists barged into a prayer meeting led by Pastor Kamlakarrao Bokada and accused him of "forceful conversion," verbally abused him and falsely accused him of dishonoring their idols. They ordered the pastor to video-record the prayer meeting, but he refused. The pastor, who visits Christian homes in the Khorpi area, was ordered not to do so again. Police refused to register a complaint by Christians.
Andhra Pradesh – Hindu extremists in Vizianagaram on Sept. 13 attacked a pastor's wife, injuring her head, and told the church leader to leave the area, according to the All India Christian Council. The attack came after Pastor Y. Caleb Raj of Good Shepherd Community Church requested that youths playing loud music before the idol of Ganesh near his church not disturb the Sept. 12 worship service. As the pastor was speaking to organizers of the Ganesh event, Hindu extremists gathered and some tried to manhandle him. They told him to close down the church and leave the village. When Pastor Raj was out on ministry work the next day, the same group of Hindu extremists came and struck his wife with a wooden club. Pastor Raj filed a police complaint, but no arrests had been made at press time.
Chhattisgarh – Hindu extremists in Raigarh on Sept. 12 beat evangelist Robinson Roat and ordered him to stop all Christian activities. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that about 25 extremists barged into the worship meeting in Roat's home. They told him he would face further harm if he left his house. The Christian did not venture out for two days.
Madhya Pradesh – Hindu extremists in Satna on Sept. 12 accused Pastor V.A. Anthony of "forceful conversion" and of carrying out the funeral of a non-Christian in a local Christian cemetery. Based on the complaint of the Hindu extremists, the inspector general of police summoned Pastor Anthony and a high-level inquiry is pending, reported the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC). The son of a local church member had died under mysterious circumstances earlier this year, and the pastor and church members had buried him in the Christian cemetery according to the wishes of his parents and other relatives, according to the GCIC.
Uttar Pradesh – Hindu nationalists from the extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Sept. 5 beat a pastor in Sarva village in Babina, Jhansi district. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that three Hindu extremists led by Surendra Yadav and armed with wooden clubs barged into the church building after Sunday classes and beat Pastor Anil Masih on his back and legs, kicked him and verbally abused him. The assault went on for about 30 minutes. The next day, Masih's father informed Babina police. Masih received hospital treatment for a broken left leg. GCIC sources told Compass that after Masih's discharge from the hospital on Sept. 10, he filed a complaint against the extremists at the Babina police station on Sept. 13. At press time, no arrests had been made.
Karnataka – Police on Sept. 1 stopped a pastors' meeting in Mysore, claiming that they were being trained to "convert people," though conversion and persuading to convert is legal in India. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that the Mysore Pastors Association organized a two-week pastoral training program with about 50 local church leaders and evangelists in attendance. Police arrived and ordered the organizers to vacate the premises by the next day. Even though such trainings are legally permitted in India, the Christians called off the meeting.
Rajasthan – Hindu extremists attacked two Christian workers, damaged their vehicles and seized evangelistic literature from them on Aug. 26 in Udaipur. The All India Christian Council reported that evangelists Charlie John and V.M. George were distributing gospel tracts when a group of Hindu extremists suddenly came and began objecting. The extremists blocked their vehicle and beat the two Christians, leaving them with serious injuries. Police came to their rescue and suggested they file a complaint against the extremists, but the Christians said they chose to forgive their attackers.
Posted in Islam, Pentecostalism	| Tagged abused, accused, action, activities, adding, All India Christian Council, alleged, allegedly, Andhra Pradesh, Anil Masih, arguing, armed, arrest, arrested, arrived, assailants, assault, asserted, attacked, attackers, attendance, Babina, back, bail, Bajrang Dal, barged, based, beat, began, belonging, between, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bibles, BJP, blocked, breaking, broke, broken, building, buried, calendars, called, carrying, case, cell, cemetery, charged, charges, Charlie John, Chhattisgarh, children, chose, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Christians, church, circumstances, claimed, claiming, class, classes, close, clothes, Club, comparisons, complaint, conducting, contained, continued, conversion, conversions, convert, custody, damaged, defiling, derogatory, detained, died, discharge, dishonoring, disrupted, distributed, distributing, district, disturb, down, Down Court, dragged, evangelist, evangelistic, event, extremists, fabricate, face, false, falsely, Father, filed, forceful, forcible, forgive, free, front, funeral, furniture, Ganesh, gathered, GCIC, Global Council of Indian Christians, Gnanodya Church, Good Shepherd Community Church, gospel, harm, hateful, head, high-level, Hindu, Hinduism, Hindus, homes, hospital, idol, idols, incidents, India, informed, injuries, injuring, inquiry, inspector, Inspector General of Police, insult, intent, intervention, Islam, jail, jailed, Jesus, Jhansi, journalists, Kamlakarrao Bokada, Karnataka, Karwar, Kenda, Khorpi, kicked, kill, Kolkata, Kurnool, leaders, leaving, led, left, leg, legal, legally, legs, lines, literature, loud, Madhava Swamy, Madhya Pradesh, maintained, manhandle, matter, meeting, members, Mhades, ministry, misrepresenting, Muhammad, Mundgod, music, Muslim, muslims, Mysore, Mysore Pastors Association, mysterious, nationalists, non-Christian, objecting, officers, open-air, ordered, organized, organizers, parents, parties, Pastor, pastoral, pending, Pentecostal, people, permitted, Persecution, persuading, petition, place, plating, police, police station, prayer, prayer meeting, praying, premises, presence, present, press time, pressured, prison, program, prophet, pulling, Purulia, questioned, questioning, Raigarh, Raipur, Rajasthan, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, received, recent, refused, regular, rejecting, relatives, religion, remarks, reported, reprinted, requested, rescue, Robinson Roat, RSS, Santhemarnalli, Sarva, Satna, seized, serious, service, Sheik Magbool, Shiva Ram, Shivanda Siddi, silence, Sirsi, social, son, speaking, started, station, stop, stopped, stormed, stripped, struck, suggested, summoned, Sunday, Surendra Yadav, Tamil Nadu, targeted, teachings, telephoned, Theni, threatening, took, tracts, trained, training, treatment, tried, trying, Udaipur, Uttar Kananda, Uttar Pradesh, uttering, V.A. Anthony, V.K. Williams, V.M. George, vacate, vandalize, vehicles, venture, verbally, video-record, village, visits, Vizianagaram, watched, West Bengal, wishes, without, women, wooden, work, workers, works, worship, Y. Caleb Raj, Yellapur, Yellapura, young, youths | Leave a comment
Despite Court Victories, Church Building in Indonesia Blocked
Islamists attack, issue threats to halt construction of worship center in West Java.
JAKARTA, Indonesia, September 22 (CDN) — A year after a church in West Java won a court battle over whether it could erect a worship building, Islamic extremists have blocked construction through attacks and intimidation tactics, church leaders said.
A mob of 50 Muslim extremists on Sept. 12 attacked construction workers at the Batak Christian Protestant Church (Huria Kristen Batak Protestan, or HKBP) site in Cinere village, near Depok City, in Limo district, eyewitnesses said; the 24 workers, who were on break, fled from the attackers, who chased them brandishing wooden boards studded with nails. Cinere village police arrived to restore order, but the mob left behind seven banners opposing the construction.
Three days later, Islamic groups demonstrated near the construction site on Puri Pesanggarahan IV St., demanding that all Christian activities in the area cease. About 70 Muslims participated in the demonstration, trying to approach the construction site until hundreds of police repelled them. Police have continued guarding the site.
The church won a case in West Java State Administrative Court on Sept. 17, 2009, rescinding a local order that had revoked the church's building permit. The Supreme Court later upheld the Bandung court's ruling, but threats have kept the church from proceeding.
Betty Sitompul, vice-chair of the church building committee, said she has received many intimidating text messages from a group opposed to the construction.
"They demanded that the church construction be halted," she told Compass.
Sitompul added that some of the messages were intensely angry, and that all were aimed at stopping construction.
She said she an official of the Depok municipal government contacted her requesting that construction be delayed two months in order to discuss it with area residents. With a Supreme Court decision backing their case, church leaders declined and continued building.
Sitompul said she never yielded to threat or intimidation because the church construction project has a firm legal basis in the Supreme Court decision.
"There was no need to worry any longer," she said. "I felt the problem was solved. It is normal for some to be dissatisfied."
The Muslim Defenders' Front (Front Pembela Islam, or FPI) reportedly participated in the Sept. 15 demonstration, but the FPI leader for Depok City, Habib Idrus Al Gadhri, denied opposing the area HKBP church.
"The rejection is from the Cinere Islam Solidarity Forum [FSUM] not from the FPI," Al Gadhri told Compass.
He said that the HKBP church in Cinere is not facing opposition from the FPI but from the entire Muslim community.
"If FPI members are involved, I'm not responsible," Al Gadhri said. "My advice is for the entire Muslim community in Cinere to sit down together and not demonstrate."
The church had originally been granted a building permit in 1998. Applications for church permits are often fraught with difficulty in Indonesia, leaving many congregations no choice but to worship in private homes, hotels or rented conference facilities. Such gatherings leave churches open to threats and intimidation from activist groups such as the FPI, which in recent years has been responsible for the closure of many unregistered churches.
Congregational Concern
Despite having the law on their side, church leaders said many in the congregation are haunted with dread amid outbreaks of Islamic ire at the presence of churches in West Java, such as the Sept. 12 attack on the HKBP church in Ciketing, Bekasi, in which an elder was seriously wounded and a pastor injured.
Peter Tobing, head of the Cinere HKBP church building committee, said that some in the congregation and building committee feared that the outbreaks of Islamic opposition will lead to chaos.
The church is planning to sue the Depok municipality based on the allegation that its actions were illegal and caused deterioration at the site. When Depok Mayor Nur Mahmudi Ismail revoked the building permit for a multipurpose building and house of worship on March 27, 2009, it led to losses for the church as the congregation had to leave it unattended for a year, according to Tobing.
"Because of this, construction began with the clearing of weeds and building materials [such as paint] that had degraded," Tobing said.
Sitompul said the bases for the lawsuit are the court decisions declaring the Depok mayor's revocation of the building permit to be illegal.
"The Depok municipal government must take responsibility for the losses incurred when the building permit was revoked," she said.
The lawsuit will seek compensation for damages incurred over the last two years, she said.
"We are going to submit all the data to the Depok government," Sitompul said. "Then we will file our suit in the Depok Municipal Court."
The church plans to construct its multipurpose building on a 5,000-square meter lot. Construction was halted in the initial stages, with the bottom floor 30 percent completed. The church had spent some 600 million rupiahs (US$66,000), with total costs projected at 2 billion rupiahs (US$220,000).
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Vatican Library prepares to reopen after three years of restoration
The Vatican Apostolic Library will be reopened again this month after three years of reconstruction. As its director explained to Vatican Radio, it aims to be a cultural aid, to offer a glimpse of the "great truth of the world of God," reports Catholic News Agency.
Vatican Radio interviewed the library's prefect, Msgr. Cesare Pasini about the grand reopening set to take place on Sept. 20.
Noting a series of initiatives scheduled to mark the reopening of the library this fall, the prefect also spoke of the value of the library to all people.
He said that by reopening the library, "we not only show scholars and the world what we have done … but we remodel ourselves on this fundamental spirit, on our mission, so that we don't just make it a place to consult books."
The library, which allows scholars from all walks and creeds to study its volumes, has an aspect of universality and cultural preservation because it conserves materials "for today and tomorrow," he said.
Msrg. Pasini also promotes culture by allowing works to be "used, seriously studied and then probed to find any further fragment of truth.
"There are many truths," he said, "historic truths, truths that make investigations into the reality of things, and these little truths form part of the great truth of the world of God."
In an article he wrote for last Sunday's edition of the L'Osservatore Romano, Msgr. Pasini described some of the 15,000 letters and e-mails his office has received hoping for the prompt conclusion to the restoration work and describing the library's importance to studies. Responding to the interest, he said that in looking around the now "silent and shining" library, he has seen that "only the friendly presence of our scholars is lacking." He added, "may they know that they are warmly awaited."
Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives, Cardinal Raffaele Farina, will present the renovated, restored and restructured library in an on-site press conference next Monday.
Posted in Books, Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Vatican City	| Tagged aid, aims, archivist, article, aspect, awaited, Books, cardinal, Cesare Pasini, Christian, Christianity, Christians, conclusion, conserves, consult, creeds, cultural, culture, described, director, edition, emails, fall, find, form, fragment, friendly, fundamental, glimpse, God, grand, great, historic, importance, initiatives, interest, interviewed, investigations, L'Osservatore Romano, lacking, letters, library, life, little, mark, materials, mission, Msgr., new, offer, office, on-site, ourselves, part, people, Prefect, prepares, presence, present, preservation, press conference, probed, promotes, prompt, Raffaele Farina, reality, received, reconstruction, remodel, renovated, reopen, restoration, restored, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, schedules, scholars, series, seriously, shining, show, silent, spirit, studied, study, things, today, tomorrow, truth, universality, value, Vatican, Vatican Apostolic Library, Vatican Library, Vatican radio, Vatican Secret Archives, volumes, walks, warmly, works, world, wrote | Leave a comment
Copts protest persecution in Egypt ahead of Mubarak's DC visit
Middle East journalist Mary Abdelmassih has reported that on the occasion of Egyptian President Mubarak's visit to Washington this week to attend the Mideast talks, Coptic Christians in the US and Canada staged a peaceful rally on September 2nd outside the White House to protest the persecution of Copts in Egypt, reports Dan Wooding, founder of ASSIST Ministries.
The Motto of the rally was: "President Mubarak Make Peace in Your Country First."
In her story for the Assyrian International News Agency (www.aina.org), Abdelmassih said that according to a press release by the rally organizer Coptic Solidarity, based in North America, the Egyptian regime, represented by Mubarak, is a key partner in the persecution of the Copts. President Mubarak comes Washington to market his regime and his family's through the Palestinian issue, and we must tell him "stop persecuting the Copts…make peace in your country first."
"Mubarak brought back Coptic persecution to the level experienced under the Mameluke era (1250-1517) in Egypt," says Coptic Solidarity. "Under the rule of President Mubarak, more than 1,500 of assault on Copts have occurred, without any appropriate punishment given to criminals or compensation to the victims."
"We want the whole world to know the oppression, violence and attacks on churches and property of the Copts under Mubarak's rule," said one rally participant. "They are targeting the Coptic family."
US-based Coptic activist Magdy Khalil told Coptic Hope-Sat in an interview that Mubarak gets his importance from being a peace broker, and he is coming to Washington to make a deal for his son's Gamal "inheritance" of the Presidency of Egypt. "He needs to get the green light from USA and Israel on one side and the Muslim brotherhood inside Egypt on the other." He added that Copts are not important for the regime to take into account.
Commenting on the White House rally, Magdy Khalil told the Egyptian daily Al Dostor that the intensive media presence for the Mideast talks "helped us to deliver a message to the whole world that Christians of Egypt have a problem. While the Palestinian issue is that of territorial dispute, the Copts are suffering from persecution."
Posted in Canada, Christianity, Egypt, Islam, Israel, Orthodox, Palestine, USA	| Tagged 1250, 1517, account, ahead, Al Doster, appropriate, assault, Assyrian International News Agency, attacks, attend, based, brotherhood, Canada, Christian, Christianity, Christians, churches, compensation, Copt, Coptic Hope-Sat, Coptic Solidarity, Copts, country, criminals, daily, deal, deliver, dispute, Egypt, Egyptian, experienced, family, first, Gamal Mubarak, Green, helped, importance, important, inheritance, inside, intensive, interview, Islam, Israel, issue, journalist, key, know, level, light, Magdy Khalil, Mameluke, market, Mary Abdelmassih, media, message, Middle East, Mideast, motto, Mubarak, Muslim, muslims, needs, North America, occasion, occurred, oppression, organizer, outside, Palestinian, participant, partner, peace broker, peaceful, Persecution, presence, presidency, President, press release, problem, property, protest, punishment, rally, regime, represented, rule, side, staged, story, suffering, talks, targeting, territorial, USA, victims, violence, visit, Washington DC, White House, whole, world | Leave a comment
Homosexual activist speaks at 'Christian' festival in UK
Leading homosexual activist Peter Tatchell appeared at the Greenbelt festival on 28 August to speak about "the struggle for queer freedom in Africa," reports Christian Concern for our Nation.
Greenbelt, a controversial 'Christian' festival, drew over 21,000 visitors this year. The festival is sponsored by Christian Aid, CMS, the Church Times, the Church Urban Fund and the Mothers Union.
Prior to the weekend, Mr. Tatchell had told Ekklesia that he was "looking forward" to the weekend and that, while not a Christian himself, "we have more in common than divides us". In his talk he spoke about homosexual rights and the church, and accused the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, of "colluding" with the persecution of homosexuals in Africa.
Anglican Mainstream encouraged people to boycott Greenbelt because of Mr. Tatchell's presence on the programme. Spokesman Lisa Nolland said that "Greenbelt, 'the UK's largest Christian festival', is sending out a sub-text that is totally at odds with a Christian understanding of sexuality by including Peter Tatchell on its programme."
"Young people who attend Greenbelt and hear Peter Tatchell are given false assurance that Peter Tatchell is the sort of person they should be listening to. Greenbelt has enough respect for Peter Tatchell as a public figure to place him on the platform …….thus, there is a de facto legitimisation of the plausibility of his views across the board."
Mr. Tatchell is well known for his view that the age of consent should be lowered to 14 for homosexuals. On his website he states that if children under 14 have consensual sex, and if there is no greater than a three year age differential, there should not be a prosecution.
Mr. Tatchell is also a strong advocate of pornography which he believes is good for people. In his book "Safer Sexy: The Guide to Gay Sex Safely" he writes approvingly of sadomasochism, bondage, infidelity, orgies and public cruising for sex.
On 12 April 1998 Mr. Tatchell was prosecuted for leading an OutRage! protest which disrupted the Easter sermon by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, with Mr. Tatchell forcing his way onto the pulpit to denounce what he claimed was George Carey's opposition to legal equality for homosexuals.
Andrea Minichiello Williams of Christian Concern for our Nation said: "We wholeheartedly support the statements of Lisa Nolland and the brave stand that Anglican Mainstream has taken. We are living in a time when the church at large has been deeply compromised by a failure to stand for the truth of the gospel and has allowed itself to be strongly influenced by current fashionable political trends."
Posted in Anglicans, Christianity, Church of England, Homosexuality	| Tagged accused, across, activist, advocate, Africa, age of consent, allowed, Andrea Minichiello Williams, Anglican Mainstream, appeared, approvingly, Archbishop of Canterbury, assurance, attend, believes, board, bondage, book, boycott, brave, children, Christian, Christian Aid, Christian Concern for our Nation, Christianity, Christians, church, Church Times, Church Urban Fund, claimed, CMS, colluding, common, compromised, consensual, controversial, cruising, current, de facto, deeply, denounce, differential, disrupted, divides, Easter, Ekklesia, encouraged, equality, failure, false, fashionable, festival, figure, forcing, forward, freedom, George Carey, good, gospel, greater, Greenbelt, homosexual, Homosexuality, homosexuals, including, infidelity, influenced, known, large, largest, leading, legal, Lisa Nolland, listening, living, looking, lowered, Mothers Union, odds, opposition, orgies, outrage, people, Persecution, person, Peter Tatchell, platform, plausibility, political, Pornography, presence, programme, prosecuted, prosecution, protest, public, pulpit, queer, respect, rights, Rowan Williams, sadomasochism, Safer Sex: The Guide to Gay Sex Safely, sending, sermon, sex, sexuality, sort, speaks, sponsored, stand, statements, states, strong, strongly, struggle, sub-text, support, talk, time, totally, trends, truth, UK, understanding, United Kingdom, views, visitors, way, Website, wholeheartedly, writes, young | 1 Comment
Marked as to-read: A History of India by Michael H. Fisher goodreads.com/review/show?id… 27 minutes ago

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Design is not about just great imagery, it�s also about great fonts. Designers throughout the global spend hours designing beautiful fonts to offer us endless possibilities. From your highly sought after Helvetica towards the historic New Baskerville, here�s an accumulation of our favourites fonts.
Use it on: letterheads, brochures, banners etc.
Designed with legibility to help clear communication becasue it is primary objective, Helvetica is omnipresent these days on just about any computer. Developed in 1957 by Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoff-man, it�s a beautifully crafted font that's so popular it even features its own feature length film called… Helvetica.
Proxima Nova – looks great BIG!
Bridging the space between Futura and Akzidenz Grotesk it makes sense a modern font having a geometric appearance. Developed by Mark Simonson in 2005, we presume it�s a great �un as well as the lightweight looks great massive.
Apply it to: business card printing, flyers and leaflets for excellent readability.
Developed by Steve Matteson and commissioned by Google, who thought it had an "upright stress, open forms and a neutral, yet friendly appearance".
It�s a very popular font useful for Web and small font size applica-tions because of its large vertical-height (tall lower-case letters). It�s not just absolve to download and on most devices, but it�s the state run font for your UK Labour Party.
Use it for: brochures and leaflet body copy.
A serif font is one that has small decorative lines included with increase the form of the smoothness. New Baskerville is probably the best one around.
Created by Mr Baskerville himself in 1757, it's aged ex-tremely well. Plus, both the roman and italic work nicely together or individually.
Put it on for: PVC banners as a result of A6 flyers.
Born in the united states!
If the hasn�t got your creative juices flowing, you will want to have a look at our design online options or give us a call, we�ll be happy to help.


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Home Breaking News U.S. request to close Chinese Consulate General in Houston "political provocation": Chinese...
U.S. request to close Chinese Consulate General in Houston "political provocation": Chinese embassy
WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) — The U.S. government's request to close the Chinese Consulate General in Houston is "a political provocation," and "an outrageous and unjustified move which sabotages China-U.S. relations," said the Chinese embassy in the United States on Wednesday.
"The U.S. abruptly demanded that the Chinese Consulate-General in Houston cease all operations and events within a time limit. It is a political provocation unilaterally launched by the U.S. side, which seriously violates international law, basic norms governing international relations and the bilateral consular agreement between China and the U.S.," said the embassy in a statement.
"China strongly condemns and firmly opposes such an outrageous and unjustified move which sabotages China-U.S. relations," the embassy said, noting that China is committed to the principle of non-interference in other countries' domestic affairs.
Over the years, Chinese diplomatic missions in the United States, including the Consulate General in Houston, have been performing duties in strict accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and are dedicated to promoting China-U.S. exchanges and cooperation and advancing the two peoples' mutual understanding and friendship, it said.
"The U.S. accusations are groundless fabrications, and the excuses it cites are far-fetched and untenable. For the U.S. side, if it is bent on attacking China, it will never be short of excuses," it said.
As for reciprocity, China has been providing facilitation for U.S. diplomatic missions and personnel pursuant to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the embassy said.
"In contrast, the U.S. imposed unjustified restrictions on Chinese diplomatic personnel last October and in June, unscrupulously and repeatedly opened China's diplomatic pouches and seized China's official goods," it said.
"Because of the willful and reckless stigmatization and fanning up of hatred by the U.S. side, the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. has received threats to the safety and security of Chinese diplomatic missions and personnel more than once," it said.
The U.S. side has more diplomatic and consular missions and personnel in China than China has in the United States, another area where the principle of reciprocity is not reflected. "The move of the U.S. side will only backfire on itself," said the embassy.
"We urge the U.S. side to immediately revoke this erroneous decision. Otherwise, China will have to respond with legitimate and necessary actions," it said.
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Frutto acerbo (Cosecha verde), è una serie a fumetti realizzata tra il 1989 e il 1991 per la rivista argentina Puertitas, ma richiesta direttamente per il mercato italiano. È uno dei più interessanti risultati della collaborazione tra lo scrittore Carlos Trillo e il disegnatore Domingo Mandrafina. In particolare il taglio della sceneggiatura, che è il rincorrersi delle diverse voci narranti degli intriganti protagonisti e dei comprimari, rende la vicenda ritmata e coinvolgente, e il disegno è al massimo dell'espressione di Mandrafina (seppure penalizzato dal colore nell'edizione in volume).

Trama
La storia si svolge a La Colonia, un paese del Sud America governato da un'eterna dittatura. Il tiranno inganna il popolo del suo paese con una menzogna: sua nipote, la Vergine Intoccata, con la quale ha rapporti sessuali, è una vergine incontaminata e miracolosa, un inganno che mantiene con la complicità di uno scrittore, e che serve a promuovere la castità come virtù, al fine di evitare la prolificazione del "popolino". Solo alcuni misteriosi guerriglieri, persi tra le montagne, conoscono la verità.

Un'avventura di respiro denso, di dialoghi barocchi, di caldo noioso, di sonnellini prolungati. Un lungo bolero che, in 126 pagine, racconterà la vera storia di Donaldo Reynoso, un ex poliziotto senza successo, che ebbe la sventura (tra le altre disgrazie) di incontrare Malinche Centurión, la Vergine Intoccata, una creazione di prim'ordine dovuta alla penna di Melitón Bates, il genio del teatro radiofonico. Quasi tutto è falso a La Colonia: il potere del grande burattinaio, la pietà del vescovo, la verginità dell'eroina. Tuttavia, la storia respira - quando la lasciano respirare - tutta la sua verità.

Ennesima riflessione sul potere, anche dei media, e sulla responsabilità degli intellettuali, Frutto Acerbo gioca con gli stereotipi e le psicologie dei protagonisti, creandone di indimenticabili.

In Italia è stato pubblicato in origine sulla rivista Lanciostory, vede poi la luce in due volumi (numeri 46 e 60) della collana Euracomix, ancora reperibili.

Note


The hydraulic clock was built on the orders of the Merinid Sultan Abu Inan Faris. He commissioned Abou al-Hassan Ibn Ali Ahmed Tlemsani to undertake the construction which was completed on the 6th of May 1357. Tlemsani was the muwaqqit - the man in charge of maintaining clocks that indicated the correct times for the muezzin to announce the call to prayer. However, the clock fell into disrepair and has remained silent and inert for almost five centuries.
How the clock, with its wooden decor and sculpted plaster, originally functioned is a mystery that has long puzzled scientists.
The clock consists of 13 windows and platforms carrying brass bowls. The motion of the clock was presumably maintained by a kind of small cart which ran from left to right behind twelve doors. At one end, the cart was attached to a rope with a hanging weight; at the other end to a rope with a weight that floated on the surface of a water reservoir that was drained at a regular pace. Each hour one of the doors opened; at the same time a metal ball was dropped into one of the twelve brass bowls. The rafters sticking out of the building above the doors are identical to the rafters of the Bouinania Madrasa (Islamic school) and originally supported a small roof to shield the doors and bowls.
On December 16th, 2004 specialist heritage experts under the guidance of the Agency for the Development and Rehabilitation of the city of Fez (ADER-Fez) removed the bowls and began to investigate the possible reconstruction of the clock. ADER later stated that they were confident that after reconstruction the clock would be operational again.
A possible clue to the workings of the clock lie in treatise Ktab 'Amal al-sa'at wa-l-amal biha (On the Construction of Clocks and their Use) written by the Arab engineer Ridwan b. al Saati in 1203. The book contains a description of the Jayrun Water Clock, built by Muhammad al-Sa'ati, which was positioned at the gate of Damascus, Syria, at the exit of the Umayyad Mosque in the 12th century.
The scholar Al Jazanaî in his book "Zahrat Al Aas" (the flower of myrtle) gave a description of the Magana Bouanania, saying that " in front of the north gate of his new madrasa Abu Inan Al Mérini built a " Magana "with cups and bowls of brass. To mark the hour, a weight falls in one of the cups and a window opened. This building was erected in the last days of the construction of the Bouanania madrasa."
Other clues may lie in the work of Alī Ibn Khalaf al-Murādī, an 11th century mechanical engineer and author of the unique technological manuscript wonderfully entitled Kitāb al-asrār fī natā'ij al-afkār (The Book of Secrets as the Results of Thoughts).
ADER can certainly be forgiven for the years of waiting for the water clock to be restored. Their work involves protection and preservation of a huge number of historic sites in the medina of Fez, including 43 Islamic schools, 83 mausoleums and zaouïas, 176 mosques, the Quaraouiyine university, 40 hammams and some 70 km of water networks.
At a recent ADER meeting its director, Fouad Serrhini, pointed out that the Medina is home to 1.276 artisanal art workshops employing nearly 40,000 artisan and that there are 12 specialised souks, 9,600 shops and three major traditional tanneries.
Serrhini also noted that the Medina of Fez is a living example an intact medina and that ADER would continue to safeguard the urban and architectural heritage and ensure its integration into the economy and the development of commercial, craft, culture and tourism, in addition to enhancing the attractiveness of the Medina for its inhabitants as well as visitors.
I would like to know where are the brass bowls removed by ADER for restauration they were last seen in the office of Mr Hajjami the former director of the agency!!?


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Carroll High School » Activities » ICE
ICE Program
By Kendyl Hook
Carroll High School has been designing clubs, facilities, programs and organizations since its establishment in 1969. Throughout the years, the school has been providing new opportunities for its students, doing ultimately what a high school does best - preparing students for the future.
The ICE (Interdisciplinary Cooperative Education) Program is a program here at Carroll that gives students the opportunity to leave school for one half of the day and explore a career of some variant. The career could be associated with something the student would like to do in the future, according to Ryan Taylor, the ICE Program coordinator for about ten years.
"I just really think the program is neat," Taylor said. "It allows kids to start that transition from high school to the real world; it gives them the opportunity to explore and see what a career is really like."
According to Taylor, the program essentially takes the responsibility of a job. This primarily means that students who apply for a position get paid and have to have taxes taken out of their paychecks, as a normal job entails.
With as many students as there are in the Carroll system, it is hard to anticipate how many actually sign up for the program. Taylor, in fact, said he expects at least 130 students each year, but the participants vary, as well as the industries that admit students per semester.
"We have students that do the ICE Program in a variety of different areas," Taylor said.
Some students explore careers in retail or office work, others in the food service, such as the local Moe's just off of Lima Road. Normally, a lot of the careers are entry level, Taylor acknowledged, but some require a bit more concentration and time. This year especially, one student even had the opportunity to work with mechanics.
Thankfully, though, students typically do not return to the school day in clothes caked with grease and smelling of rust, as most of them leave just after the dismissal bell for fourth on a required average of 15 hours a week.
"Some of my students will work five days a week," Taylor said. "Monday through Friday."
While the program offers many employable careers, it does not actually entertain the idea of teaching. In fact, Taylor also mentioned that the program differs quite drastically from that of the Cadet Teaching, where students get the chance to teach but do not get paid for the amount of time they put in. Similarly, Taylor said that the Cadet Teaching program is for those students who know they would like to pursue a career in education, whereas the ICE Program allows the students to decide if teaching or another career is truly something they would be interested in.
All career programs offered at Carroll can benefit a student immensely; however, a good thing to keep in mind with each separate program are the responsibilities placed on a student's shoulders during the time of application.
"They [students] have to fill out an application form," Taylor said. "Some of the things we're looking for are individuals that have good attendance records, that have decent grades. We are also looking for teacher recommendations."
A meeting for juniors on information about the ICE Program is scheduled for the fall in the large auditorium.


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Home Fun 8 Best Office And Gaming Chairs Worth Investing In
8 Best Office And Gaming Chairs Worth Investing In
Chairs play an important part when it comes to sitting down for long hours, no matter whether you are working at home or playing games. As we all know, sitting for a long period of time can actually cause back and neck strains. With that, here are 8 Best Office and Gaming Chairs Worth Investing In!
1) AM Office POFIT
Here's an ergonomic office chair that money can buy if you don't mind spending more. Built with the utmost care for back support in mind, the AM Office POFIT features a chair design reminiscent of a human spine. It has a total of 9 joint supports that protect your entire back including the thoracic, lumbar and sacrum spines. It's tiltable while it has a unique 5D headrest that can be adjusted in various heights and angles, depending on your respective needs.
But what makes the Am Office POFIT such a worthy investment is the first-of-its-kind office chair with a smart app. Simply download the Comfort Smart+ app via Google Play or Apple Store on your smartphone, where it offers various settings such as Lumber Protection Setting and Sitting Posture Evaluation. Available in four different colours including Light Grey, Red, Blue and Black.
Image Credit: amoffice.com.my
2) AM Office XG4553
The AM Office POFIT too pricey? You might want to consider this cheaper alternative from the same company: the XG4553 model. It may lack the bells and whistles of the former, but it still covers most of the essentials to make your long-hour seating comfortable. This includes both adjustable headrest and armrests with a mesh back for breathability. It also comes with a tilt function that allows you to lean back.
3) Steelcase Leap V2
If you are prone to back pain, you might want to consider getting the Steelcase Leap V2. Sure, it comes with a hefty price tag that can be a little too much for most people. But if your budget allows, you'll be rewarded with a high-quality chair that would last you for many years. The chair is highly adjustable and that covers everything from angles to heights — all of which are specially designed to keep you as comfortable as possible. It supports your body correctly no matter sitting straight or leaning back. Even the armrests are completely adjustable.
Image Credit: g13group.co.uk
4) IKEA Markus
The IKEA product is synonymous with its value-for-money range and that applies to their Markus model. Priced at RM 499 and RM 549 respectively, the IKEA Markus features a high back design suitable for tall people. Expect ample padding at the top cushion, where you can rest your head comfortably.
The chair also comes with lumbar support that helps to keep your posture intact and of course, does your lower back a favour. This is especially true if you often sit for long hours while working on your laptop or playing games.
You can adjust the height of this office chair and even has a tilt function, which comes in handy if you want to lean back. Given its reasonable price for a professional-looking high back office chair, it boasts a sturdy build that can support up to 110 kg and a mesh back, which helps to promote air circulation. For peace of mind, the IKEA Markus throws in a 10-year warranty as well.
Image Credit: ikea.com/my
5) IKEA Renberget
The IKEA Renberget swivel chair combines affordability and functionality for a wallet-friendly price at just under RM 200. As expected, it doesn't have all the nifty features but for such a budget chair, this is as good as it gets. It features an all-black faux leather-and-fabric design that looks sleek and professional enough. You can adjust the height and tilt the chair too. Then, there's the added pressure-sensitive brake mechanism where it maintains the chair's castor wheels in place whenever you get off the seat and releases if you sit down.
6) APEX DANG
The APEX brand needs no introduction, given its reputation as one of the well-known local office furniture manufacturers in Malaysia. Take their DANG model, for instance. It's an ergonomic chair with a contoured high-back design that supports your entire back. It even has a headrest attached on the top of the chair, which can be tilted front and back. Other highlights include adjustable heights, a breathable mesh back and a well-padded cushion made suitable for long-hour seating.
Image Credit: apexof.com.my
7) SecretLab OMEGA & TITAN
The SecretLab range may be specifically built with gaming in mind. But their chairs — notably the OMEGA and TITAN models — are not only good as a gaming chair but also suitable for those who work for long hours.
Let's start with the SecretLab OMEGA chair, which features a sturdy build that can support weight up to 110 kg. The height isn't the only adjustable function you will find here, as it also offers a nifty multi-tilt mechanism designed to accommodate your various sitting needs. Other highlights include adjustable 4D full-metal armrests, an ultra-comfortable PRIME 2.0 PU leather cushion and a full-length backrest recline, where you can lean back all the way down to 165 degrees. For the latter, this certainly comes in handy for those who need to take a nap or short break.
Image Credit: my.secretlab.co
For the SecretLab TITAN chair, it features a bigger sitting space and even a higher backrest, with the latter particularly suitable for those who are over 6-feet tall. The chair can even support up to 130 kg and has all the highlights found from the OMEGA model. But the most interesting feature of all is the TITAN's built-in lumbar support mechanism for your back, which can be easily adjusted using the knob located at the side of the chair.
8) TTRacing Duo V3
Let's face it, not everyone can afford a gaming chair which generally costs a fortune, which brings us the budget-friendly gaming chair of TTRacing Duo V3. Made from a mix of Carbon Fibre PU leather and breathable Italian Elastic Cloth, it gives you both ample comfort and cushioning upon sitting on the chair. You can choose to sit upright or lean back with the chair's tilt function up to 155 degrees downward. The TTRacing Duo V3 is also built to last for years, thanks to its durable nylon base that provides better stability and weight distribution.
Image Credit: ttracing.my
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