I live at Tea Gardens, but I can’t say that I felt an earthquake here tonight. It was quite minor, so no real surprise I guess. The link below is to an article reporting on the minor quake.
For more visit:
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1652030/minor-earthquake-hits-tea-gardens/
See also:
http://www.ga.gov.au/earthquakes/getQuakeDetails.do?quakeId=3387356&orid=787107&sta=MGCD
The links below are to articles reporting on a major earthquake that hit New Zealand today, measuring 6.9 and located between the two islands in Cook Strait.
For more visit:
– http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8945358/Big-quake-shakes-central-New-Zealand
– New Zealand hit by quake of magnitude 6.9, minor damage | Reuters
– http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/strong-69-magnitude-earthquake-hits-wellington-new-zealand/story-e6frg6so-1226682714587
– http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/21/19590327-65-earthquake-strikes-near-wellington-new-zealand
A large number of earthquakes have hit the New Zealand area in recent days.
For more visit:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8945362/Quakes-shake-central-New-Zealand
A massive earthquake has hit the Iran-Pakistan border region. The link below is to an article reporting on the disaster.
For more visit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/17/rescuers-earthquake-iran-pakistan-border
The link below is to an article reporting on a massive earthquake that has struck Iran.
For more visit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/10/iran-earthquake-death-toll-rises
Australia played Sri Lanka in a One Day International yesterday, however the game was abandoned after the first innings and a small number of overs in the Sri Lankan innings. The game became something of a farce for a number of reasons, including the dismissal of two Australian batsmen for LBW after they had clearly hit the ball into their legs.
One of the batsmen, David Warner, was visibly furious with the decision, yet walked off following the umpire’s decision. The link below is to an article reporting on his official reprimand for dissent, which frankly I find disgraceful. Surely if an umpire makes a terrible decision you must expect some show of disappointment with the decision from the batsman being given out. This is truly a pathetic outcome for an umpire’s mistake – the batsmen is further punished.
For more visit:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-sri-lanka-2012/content/story/601605.html
The link below is to an article that considers the bystander effect following the death of a man who was hit by a train in New York. Rather than try and help the man, a photographer chose to take a photo instead.
For more visit:
http://bigthink.com/think-tank/would-you-save-this-mans-life-the-trolley-problem-revisited
An earthquake has struck near Moe in Victoria, 120 from Melbourne. The quake measured 5.2 and was 9.9km deep. The quake has been felt over a large area of Victoria, with no reports of significant damage at the moment. The various links below provide more information. The link immediately below is to the event page hosted at the US Geological Survey website.
UPDATE: 10.20pm – Final for this Post:
The following links include the latest reports on the earthquake. The first has a picture of items on the floor in a supermarket.
– http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/quake-shakes-state-20120619-20m88.html
UPDATE: 10.00pm
For more Visit:
– http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000ajek#summary
UPDATE: 9.43pm – More on the Melbourne Earthquake
The earthquake is now believed to have measured 5.2 and was centred 120km away from Melbourne, near the town of Moe to the east south-east of Melbourne
For more visit:
– http://www.rt.com/news/australia-earthquake-melbourn-panic-189/
– http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201206/3528928.htm
UPDATE: 9.32pm – More articles on the Quake:
For more visit:
– http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/melbourne-hit-by-earthquake-20120619-20m8d.html
– http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/earthquake-rocks-victoria/story-e6freuy9-1226401634580
UPDATE: 9.30pm – The link below suggests the earthquake was substantial. If nothing else it does appear to have been felt over a wide area, so perhaps the actual epicentre of the quake was not Melbourne.
For more visit:
– http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/earthquake-rocks-melbourne/story-e6frea6u-1226401636040
First Post
Not much of a story, but a small earthquake has hit Melbourne a short time ago. It was felt by a lot of people, but nothing significant.
For more visit:
– http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/melbourne-hit-by-earthquake-20120619-20m8d.html
Islamists in Egypt Use Rumors to Attack Christians
The following article reports on rioting Muslims attacking Christians in Meet Bahsar, Egypt.
http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/egypt/article_1433598.html
Egyptian Court Sentences Priest from Attacked Church Building
The following article reports on the arrest and jailing of an Egyptian priest in Aswan, Egypt, over a building violation. The arrest occurred after the burning of his church by an Islamic mob.
http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/egypt/article_1436277.html
Two Christian Hospital Workers Abducted in Karachi, Pakistan
The following article reports on the abduction of two Good Samaritan Hospital staff who are Christians in Karachi, Pakistan.
http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/article_1436466.html
Another Church in Jos, Nigeria Hit by Suicide Bombing
The following article reports on yet another suicide bombing of a church in Jos, Nigeria, by extremists linked to Boko Haram.
http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/nigeria/article_1440491.html
The articles linked to above are by Compass Direct News and relate to persecution of Christians around the world. Please keep in mind that the definition of ‘Christian’ used by Compass Direct News is inclusive of some that would not be included in a definition of Christian that I would use or would be used by other Reformed Christians. The articles do however present an indication of persecution being faced by Christians around the world.
Evangelist was traveling with sons from one village to another.
NEW DELHI, April 22 (CDN) — Hindu extremists beat a pastor and evangelist unconscious in front of his sons earlier this month in Madhya Pradesh state.
Ramesh Devda, 30, from Dhadhniya, Meghnagar district, said he was attacked on April 4 at about 11 a.m. after leading a prayer meeting in Chikklia village. He said he was on his way to Bhajidongra, at the border of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat states, by motorcycle with his two sons, 10-year-old Elias, and 8-year-old Shimon, to lead another prayer meeting.
When he reached Raseda village, he said, suddenly three people on two motorcycles blocked his way and forced him to stop.
“Suddenly out of nowhere these three men appeared in two motorcycles – they blocked me and tilted my motorcycle,” Pastor Devda told Compass. “We fell down. They were carrying big bamboo sticks and clubs. They started beating me, and then they called and three more men came and started to attack me.”
He said he was thankful that his sons were spared from beating, though his older son sustained a leg injury in the course of the attack.
“They were angry at me and were threatening to kill me and were warning me not to come to their area again,” he said. “My sons were screaming at the top of their voices, and they were afraid. One of the men hit me on my forehead with a big bamboo stick, cracking my skull. The others were also beating me on my body, especially my back with bamboo sticks.”
A blow to the forehead temporarily blinded him, he said.
“My eyes were darkened, and I fell down, and they proceeded to beat me even more,” he said. “The men were also abusive in the foulest language that I had heard, and they were drunk.”
People passing by heard the two boys crying out and came to help, and the attackers fled, he said, leaving the unconscious pastor and his sons.
“I do not know who helped me, as I was unconscious,” Pastor Devda said. “But I came to know later that local Christians also came in and called the emergency helpline. As a result, an ambulance came, which then took me to the hospital.”
He was taken to Anita Surgical Hospital on Station Road in Dahod, Gujarat. There a physician identified only as Dr. Bharpoda told him that he had fractured his skull.
“I am being treated for my wounds now, but there is still a lot of pain,” Pastor Devda said.
A Christian for 15 years, Pastor Devda has been in Christian leadership for 11 years and now serves with the Christian Reformed Fellowship of India. He has two other children, Ashish and 4-year-old Sakina, and his wife Lalita, 28, is active with him in Christian service.
Pastor Devda leads congregations in Chikklia, Bhajidongra and Dhadhniya villages.
“I have heard that I was attacked because the people of Chikklia did not like me conducting the Sunday service there,” he said. “The people who beat me up do belong to a Hindu fundamentalist outfit, and some believers in Chikklia know them. I can recognize them if I see them again.”
He said, however, that he does not want to file a First Information Report (FIR) with police.
“There is no one supporting me or standing with me in my village or my mission, and I am myself fearful, as I have to continue to minister to these very people,” Pastor Devda said. “I know my attack was pre-planned, but I do not want to report it to the police.”
A Christian co-worker from Rajasthan was also attacked about a month ago in equally brutal fashion, he said, but also refrained from filing an FIR because of fear of repercussions.
Vijayesh Lal, secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India’s Religious Liberty Commission, said the tribal belt that extends to the border areas of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan, has been a hot spot for anti-Christian activity since the late 1990s.
“Only recently a 65-year-old evangelist was beaten and stripped by Hindu extremists,” he said. “It is a worrisome trend, and one that should be dealt with not only by the government but by the secular media and civil society in general.”
Report from Compass Direct News
http://www.compassdirect.org
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