by George Whitten, Worthy News International Correspondent

HAVANA, CUBA (Worthy News)-- Cuba has released and dropped all charges of "threatening behavior" against a well-known church after his accusers gave contradictory evidence against him, a Christian human rights organization said Monday, September 7.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said Reverend Robert Rodriguez was freed and is now recuperating at home after being found not guilty.

He was arrested last Monday, August 30, and taken to a town in central Cuba where he stood trial.

Prosecutors recommended that Reverend Rodriguez be given a 1-year prison sentence, but following the contradictory evidence given by his accusers, the Rodriguez family believes the tribunal had no choice but to find him not guilty. However, the court handed down a fine to the church leader for reasons that are unclear, according to CSW.

Rodriguez, the former national president of the Interdenominational Fellowship of Evangelical Pastors and Ministers (CIMPEC), became a government target when he led his organization to withdraw publicly from a government sanctioned religious umbrella group in the second half of 2008.

CIMPEC formally withdrew from the Cuban Council of Churches, citing constant government interference in their internal affairs.

CONTROVERSIAL CHARGES

Christians said the criminal charges against Rodriguez are an attempt to discredit and silence him. Cuban officials had no comment.

Charges were first brought against Reverend Rodriguez in late 2008 but no trial date materialized, and he has spent the last 21 months under house arrest. Meanwhile, his family has suffered verbal and physical abuse from their neighbors, apparently acting with the support of the government, and their house has been vandalized, CSW explained.

“CSW welcomes the news that Reverend Rodriguez was found not guilty of the charges against him,” said CSW Chief Executive Mervvn Thomas.

CWS calls on the Cuban government to make restitution to the family for the damages caused to their house by their now discredited accusers, as well as being allowed to return to their home with the guarantees of full protection as is their right as citizens of Cuba.
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By Joseph C. DeCaro, Worthy News International Correspondent

AHVAZ, IRAN (Worthy News)-- Members of a home-based church in the city of Ahvaz are worried about one of their own who has not been heard from since his arrest, Worthy News has learned.

The 27 year-old Neshan Saeedi was arrested by plain-clothes security forces that entered his house on July 24.

The security officers searched his home and seized personal belongings: a computer, CDs of Christian seminars and teachings, Christian books, Bibles, and family photo albums.

Saeedi's family was taken to Chaharshir detention center in Ahvaz for several hours of questioning and harsh interrogation. Security officers said they were apostates who were unworthy of raising their 6 year-old daughter, and if they continued their Christian activities, they might lose custody of her. They were also accused of anti-government activities by acting as agents of foreign powers.

After the interogation, the wife and daughter were released, but no one has seen Saeedi since.

After the arrest, members of the home-based church who fellowshipped with Saeedi have scattered and disbanded. Security agents are desperately seeking two other leaders of the church while Saeedi is presumed to be under great pressure to reveal the names of all church members.

CHRISTIANITY SPREADING

Elam Ministries, an organization supporting churches in Iran, has linked the crackdown on Christians to concern among Iran's leaders about the spread of Christianity in the Islamic nation. "Because Iran is a strategic gateway nation, the growing church in Iran will impact Muslim nations across the Islamic world."

The group said recently that in 1979, there were less than 500 known Christians from a Muslim background in Iran. "Today the most conservative estimate is that there are at least 100,000 believers in the nation."

The perceived hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has come under international pressure to improve religious rights and abandon his nuclear program. He has denied wrongdoing.
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by Marshall Ramsey II, Worthy News US Correspondent

Phnom Phen, Cambodia (Worthy News)-- Daughters of Cambodia, a Christian outreach and rehabilitation program started by British missionary Ruth Elliott, is working to free girls sold into the sex slave industry, Worthy News has learned.

Ruth Elliott has been working in Cambodia for six years to bring girls sold as sex slaves out of the trade. Since 2004, Elliott has worked near the red light district, confronting the practitioners of prostitution head-on, trying to bring them out of the sex trade into a new career and a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

LAUNCHING OUT

According to Elliott, God called her from the time she was 14 for this work. "The Lord began to speak to me," she told CBN. "He wanted me to go into the places that were worst and to facilitate healing the brokehearted and setting the captives free."

In Cambodia, 90% of the prostitutes in the sex trade industry are sold into it by their parents. A number of the girls say their families depend on them for support so they feel obligated to stay.

"They live in the pit of Hell. It's the truth," Ruth said, speaking on the victims' situation. "And they experience horrendous trauma when they come out."

A NEW BEGINNING

Daughters of Cambodia is a day-center started by Elliott that is located near the brothels. They make their own clothing, fashion accessories, and home furnishings and market them locally and overseas.

"We had to start small businesses, which are fair trade businesses, in order for the girls to exit the sex industry," she said. "For without another job, it is just impossible for them to leave the sex industry."

The Daughters of Cambodia center teaches the girls not only new work skills, they also learn valuable lessons for establishing a healthy family and home. "Things like domestic violence prevention, conflict resolution skills, budgeting skills, this kind of thing," Elliott explained. "[Also] drug prevention." Up to 60 girls at a time participate in the program, earning money for rent, food, and other needs.

BRINGING IN JESUS

In addition to teaching the girls how to survive without using their bodies to make money, Elliott also introduces the girls to Jesus Christ. And not to them only, but also to the brothel owners.

"We do build a relationship with the brothel owners and they are welcome in our church program," she said. "We want brothel owners to come. We want pimps to come. We want everyone in the sex industry to come to our church because we believe in the power of Jesus to change everyone's life."

"This involves going directly into the brothels and inviting sex workers who are in the sex industry in Cambodia to change their lives, if they are interested in doing that," she explained.

The message of unconditional love from Jesus Christ is producing great results, especially among the girls. "They respond very quickly to the gospel because they have never in their lives experienced love -- unconditional love and acceptance," Elliott said. "And many of them become Christians as a result of this."

GOD'S POWER AT WORK

The work is not easy. And while it can be dangerous, God's power to protect them is evident in a mighty way. "I have to say we have never, ever, not even one day, had any problems, any brothel owners turn up at our door demanding a girl back or threatening us in any way," she proclaimed. "We have never had a single threat against us. And I can't explain that to you except I believe the grace of God is on us."

The goal of Elliott is to have her girls graduate from the program and live successfully on their own. She hopes to have other Daughters of Cambodia-style centers in other countries with similar needs.

Information for this report was provided by CBN News.
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by George Whitten, Jerusalem Bureau Chief

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (Worthy News)-- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to meet every two weeks to continue U.S. backed direct negotiations for the creation of a Palestinian state within a year despite serious differences that remain between the two sides.

The next scheduled meeting will take place on September 14 and 15 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell plan to attend the talks.

On Thursday, Netanyahu and Abbas met for two hours in a closed-door meeting to begin direct negotiations for peace. According to Mitchell, the two agreed to come to a peace agreement within a year.

ISRAEL WANTS PEACE

In a press conference yesterday, Netanyahu told Abbas, “I see in you a partner for peace. Together, we can lead our people to a historic future that can put an end to claims and to conflict.”

However, he stressed that a “true peace, a lasting peace, would be achieved only with mutual and painful concessions from both sides.”

LEGITIMACY AND SECURITY

Netanyahu identified "two pillars of peace" that were necessary for an agreement -- "legitimacy and security".

“Just as you expect us to be ready to recognize a Palestinian state as the nation-state of the Palestinian people, we expect you to be prepared to recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.” Netanyahu added that more than one million non-Jews live in Israel with full civil rights.

“I think this mutual recognition between us is indispensable to clarifying to our two people – our two peoples that the conflict between us is over.”

Netanyahu continued by reiterating that “security is the foundation of peace. Without it, peace will unravel. With it, peace can be stable and enduring.” Netanyahu pointed out the Iranian threat along with its proxies in Lebanon and Gaza. He also stressed the need to end terrorist attacks against Israel.

FINAL STATUS ISSUES

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said much has already been accomplished over the years and now was the time to address the “final status issues” of “Jerusalem, the settlements, the borders, security, water, and also releasing the detainees -- in order to end the occupation that started 1967, the occupation of the Palestinian territories, and in order to create the state of Palestine that lives side by side with the state of Israel.”

Abbas continued by stating that the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) had already recognized Israel in 1993. He pointed to a “document of mutual recognition” signed by late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and former PLO leader Yasser Arafat.

“And in this document, we give enough so – to show that our intentions are good, our intentions with respect to recognizing the state of Israel,” he added.

PLO REJECTS ISRAEL AS A JEWISH STATE

However, the previous night PLO Executive Committee member Wassel Abu Yousef told reporters in Ramallah that the "Palestinians reject the demand to recognize Israel as a Jewish state."

The PLO has never agreed to recognize Israel specifically as a Jewish state.

Last year in Bethlehem, Abbas' Fatah faction of the PLO adopted a platform rejecting the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

PLO OUTLINES ITS POSITIONS



On Thursday, the PLO released a statement through its news agency Wafa outlining its vision for a peace agreement.

“Freedom means control of our borders” with the Palestinian government seated “in our historic capital” of Jerusalem. It stated that “Jerusalem does not belong to one faith or people.”

Along with East Jerusalem as its capital, the PLO reiterated its call for Palestinian refugees’ right of return, along with their “properties”, their “homes”, and the ability to choose how to exercise that right.

The PLO said that the borders of a Palestinian state must be the same as they stood before the 1967 Six Day War, including that of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. Along with these borders, a "territorial link connecting the West Bank and Gaza is crucial to the integrity of the Palestinian state", thus in effect dividing Israel.

The PLO claimed "the single greatest threat to a viable two-state solution, and hence, to a just and lasting peace" are the 170 Israeli settlements scattered across the West Bank.

HAMAS CLAIMS ABBAS ILLIGITIMATE PALESTINIAN LEADER

In Gaza, thousands of people marched and cheered the successful terrorist attacks in which Hamas claimed responsibility for the killing of four Israelis near Hebron on Tuesday and the wounding of another two Israelis near Ramallah on Wednesday.

Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar rejected any possibility of compromise or peace with Israel in a speech given in Gaza on Thursday.  Zahar questioned the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority and its leadership. He said, "Today marks the start of direct negotiations between someone who has no right to represent the Palestinian people and the brutal occupier, to provide a cover for Judaizing Jerusalem and stealing the land."

TERRORISTS UNITE

Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades, said 13 armed groups have now agreed to cooperate in carrying out more effective attacks against Israel.

He further added, “we will not allow the [peace talks] to pass, the resistance will have its word.”

DESPITE DIFFICULT OBSTACLES U.S. REMAINS HOPEFUL

In a press conference Thursday, U.S. Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell acknowledged that the differences between the sides were “many,” “deep” and “serious” and that both sides would need to be willing to make “difficult concessions.”

But he said he believed Netanyahu and Abbas were “committed to doing what it takes to achieve the right result.”
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By George Whitten, Worthy News International Correspondent

ZHEJIANG, CHINA (Worthy News)-- A prayer center complex, known as "Prayer Mountain", was destroyed in China after several elderly Christians were forcibly removed, and then watched helplessly as their building was demolished according to ChinaAid, Worthy News has learned.

Several hundred men led by Chinese police officials removed about twenty elderly Christians from the building. After their removal, the church was destroyed as they futilely watched the destruction of their complex.

Known as “Prayer Mountain,” the complex was owned by the Taishan Christian House Church (located in Qinggang District, Yuhuan county, Taizhou City, Zhejiang province), according to China Aid.

PERSECUTION INTENSIFIES

This is the latest incident of persecution against house churches in China. According to ChinaAid, at least three house churches were shut down in early August. The house churches were part of the China Gospel Fellowship (CGF), one of the leading house church networks in China, with an estimated 5-7 million members.

The churches were forced to close down by the Chinese government because church leaders were invited to attend the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in October 2010 at Cape Town, South Africa, according to ChinaAid.

Sources told ChinaAid that the Chinese Public Security Bureau obtained a list of 200 Chinese invitees to the convention and threatened some of them not to attend, but CGF leaders refused to back down.

"In August we have seen an increase in persecution that is alarming and unjustifiable," ChinaAid President Bob Fu told Worthy News. "We condemn the destruction of the Prayer Mountain church complex, and urge local authorities to cease their threats against the China Gospel Fellowship to prevent them from exercising their religious freedoms."

The persecution of Christians in China come amid concerns among Communist Party officials about the spread of Christianity in China, Worthy News established. Some officials recently suggested there are about 130-million Christians in China, 50-million more than previous estimates. Most of them are believed to worship in the 'underground' house churches as they do not want to gather in the Communist approved denominations.
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By George Whitten, Worthy News Director/World Affairs Correspondent

HAVANA, CUBA (Worthy News)-- Cuba has detained a well-known church leader on trumped up charges of "offensive behavior" and "threats", a Christian human rights organization said Friday, September 3.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said Reverend Robert Rodriguez was arrested Monday, August 30, and taken to a town in central Cuba where he was expected to stand trial.

Reverend Robert Rodriguez is in his late 60’s and in poor health, family members said.

His arrest was so sudden that the pastor was unable to take important medication with him, CSW added. "His family fears without it, his health will continue to deteriorate as he awaits trial."

Rodriguez, the former national president of the Interdenominational Fellowship of Evangelical Pastors and Ministers (CIMPEC), became a government target when he led his organization to withdraw publicly from a government sanctioned religious umbrella group in the second half of 2008.

CIMPEC formally withdrew from the Cuban Council of Churches, citing constant government interference in their internal affairs.

CONTROVERSIAL CHARGES

Christians said the criminal charges against Rodriguez are an attempt to discredit and silence him. Cuban officials had no comment. 

Charges were brought in late 2008 and Reverend Rodriguez was given three trial dates over the course of last year, but no trial ever took place, CSW explained.

"The treatment of Reverend Rodriguez and his family over the past 21 months has been disgraceful," said CSW National Director Stuart Windsor. He urged the European Union to investigate the human rights situation on the Communist0run island. 

"While some heralded the release of some Cuban prisoners of conscience this summer as an improvement in the human rights situation, the arrest of Reverend Rodriguez this week demonstrates that the Cuban government is not interested in real human rights reform," Windsor said.

CSW demands that Cuban authorities release Reverend Rodriguez immediately and drop all charges against him.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (Worthy News)-- U.S. forecasters have downgraded Earl to a category two hurricane, but expect it to remain a powerful storm as it closes in on the U.S. east coast.


The National Hurricane Center said in its latest report Thursday that Earl was 260 kilometers south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with maximum winds of 165 kilometers per hour.

The eye (center) of the storm is not expected to make landfall, but Earl is on course to lash the North Carolina coast late Thursday before heading north. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from North Carolina's barrier islands.

Hurricane and tropical storm warnings and watches are in effect along the mid-Atlantic coast and as far north as Maine. The governors of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts have declared states of emergency.

U.S. President Barack Obama also declared a state of emergency in North Carolina, allowing the federal government to coordinate disaster relief efforts there.

Forecasters have warned of heavy rains, damaging winds and a dangerous storm surge that could raise water levels along the coast as much as 1.5 meters.

Earl already has skirted parts of the eastern Caribbean, flooding areas of Antigua and ripping out trees and blowing down power lines on St. Martin. Officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico have said they are working to restore electricity to more than 200,000 people.

Forecasters are also watching Tropical Storm Fiona, which is expected to pass near Bermuda early Saturday.

Reprinted with Permission from VOA News.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (Worthy News)-- The category four storm is on course to lash the coast of North Carolina late Thursday, before shifting to the north. Hurricane and tropical storm warnings and watches are in effect along the Mid-Atlantic coast and as far north as Massachusetts.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami are warning of heavy rains and damaging winds from the storm, which now has sustained winds of 230 kilometers per hour.

Forecasters say a dangerous storm surge could raise water levels along the coast as much as 1.5 meters.

The governors of North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland have declared states of emergency.

President Barack Obama has also declared a state of emergency in North Carolina, allowing the federal government to coordinate disaster relief efforts there.

Earl has already skirted parts of the eastern Caribbean, flooding parts of Antigua and ripping out trees and blowing down power lines on St. Martin. Officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico say they are working to restore electricity to more than 200,000 people who were affected by the storm.

Forecasters are also watching Tropical Storm Fiona, which is expected to pass near Bermuda by early Saturday.

A third system, Tropical Storm Gaston, is moving slowly towards the Lesser Antilles and it not expected to impact any land until at least the middle of next week.

(Reprinted with permission from VOA News.)
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By Worthy News Asia Service

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By Joseph C. DeCaro

MARY, TURKMENISTAN (Worthy News)-- A Pentecostal pastor remained in police custody Tuesday, August 31, in Turkmenistan where he faces five years imprisonment and confiscation of properties for "large-scale swindling", charges his wife and church members strongly deny, rights activists said.

Police arrested Ilmurad Nurliev, pastor of Peace to the World Pentecostal Church, for allegedly swindling money from two women who attended church meetings, although church members deny that ever happened.

"I was out at work when the police arrested my husband," said Maya Nurlieva, "and the first I knew was when he was allowed to call me from the investigator's office."

She said police refused to allow her to meet her husband and have also refused to give her any document certifying his arrest or detailing the reasons for it.

Maya said after her husband was arrested, police confiscated his certificate in preaching and refused to return it; they also took 150 dollars he had in his pocket.

"All they gave back to me were the keys to our flat," she said.

Maya said that police and the investigators refused to discuss her husband's case with her.

INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE

Turkmenistan, which has a heavily Muslim population, is under international pressure to improve religious rights and to protect its tiny Christian minority.

The government is seen as the region's most autocratic. Christians and other devoted religious groups are often seen as a threat to its power base, rights groups have suggested.  The government has made clear however it wants to distance itself from former dictator Saparmurat Niyazov. Last week, a prominent 12-meter golden statue of Niyazov was taken down in the capital Ashgabat -- a move further eroding the personality cult around the late Central Asian leader.

Workers removed the statue on August 25 and were dismantling the base on August 26, said Radio Free Europe. The Arch of Neutrality was a centerpiece of the capital, Ashgabat, and the most distinctive monument built in honor of Niyazov.

The statue stood on a 70-meter white tile-clad tripod and rotated to face the sun. Niyazov -- who renamed himself the Great Turkmenbashi, the "Father of All Turkmen" -- died in 2006 after two decades of iron-fisted rule.

(With additional reporting from Worthy News International Correspondent Stefan Bos.)
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by Marshall Ramsey II, Worthy News Correspondent

NEW DELHI, India (Worthy News)-- A 16-year old Christian girl was rescued on August 9, 2010, after being held captive for two years, Worthy News has learned.

The girl, whose name is being withheld, is a tribal Christian who was sold into slavery along with three other girls (one of which was her 19-year old sister) in 2008. A wave of anti-Christian attacks during that year resulted in approximately 60 girls being captured and sold to neighboring states.

The girl's mother accompanied the rescue team the evening of Aug. 9 in the Rohini area of Delhi, said an anonymous source with the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) Anti-Human Trafficking department. "It was only the joint efforts of the All India Christian Council (AICC), HRLN Anti-Human Trafficking and the area police that made this rescue possible," the source said.

"It is confirmed that she was not raped," said Madhu Chandra, a member of the rescue team and spokesperson for the AICC. "She was physically abused, with teeth bite marks and bruises on her body -- her neck, leg, and right hand."

FALSE ASSURANCES GIVEN

The girl stated that a well-known woman from their village in Kandhamal district gave her and her sister a false promise of safe and secure work in Delhi as gardeners. Instead, operatives working with the woman took the sisters and the other two girls to Sakhi Maid Bureau, a placement agency in Ratala village in Delhi. It was run by a man only identified as Montu.

She was placed in a home in Rohini, Sector 11, as domestic help starting in January. The girl said she was treated fairly well there, except for being slapped a few times by the lady of the house.

Things went sour as she was beginning to get hit by the family's 10-year old son. The family's 14-year old son tried to rape her, and she tried to flee earlier this month. The girl told the rescue team that she informed the lady of the house about the elder son's misbehavior, but that the woman stated that she could do nothing about it. Montu, the placement agency operator, has went into hiding, according to police.

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

Sudhir Kumar, House Officer of Prasant Vihar Police station confirmed the rescue team's accusation that he refused to register a complaint in the girl's case. "The victim is from Kandhamal, let her go back to Kandhamal and register her complaint there," Kumar told Compass Direct News. "No rape of the victim took place as per the medical examination, and thus there is no need for registering a case against anyone."

"We will file their complaint if they come back to us now," said Assistant Police Commissioner Sukhvir Singh. He said he had no explanation why the girl's complaint was not registered, but insisted that the rescue team and the girl return.

Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of the AICC, said that large-scale human trafficking in Christian tribal and Dalit women of Kandhamal is one of the worst problems faced in the aftermath of the 2008 violence.

"Police have made arrests in the nearby Andhra Pradesh and other states," he said. "Because of the displacement due to the violence, they lost their future, and it is very easy for strangers to come and lure them. Community and family life has been disrupted; the children do not have the normal security that growing children must have. Trauma, unemployment, and desperate measures have resulted in the loss of childhood, forcing many to grow up before their age."

All India Christian Council is calling on the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Women, and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to investigate, he added.
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By George Whitten, Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Worthy News)-- The "Restoring Honor" rally drew a crowd estimated between 300,000 and 500,000 to Washington D.C. which had a tone of evangelical revival rather than that of a political protest.

The gathering focused on religious values and paying tribute to American military personnel. Attendees and those watching were encouraged to donate money to a Florida-based nonprofit group, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. By the end of Saturday, the event raised more than $5 million.

Conservative Talk show host Glenn Beck, a Mormon, who organized the event, billed the event as a non-political and encouraged those attending not to bring protest signs. Many observed the rally as "Americans" gathering together as a heartfelt, non-partisan expression of civic concern, patriotism and religious faith.

Clearly many of the attendees were Tea Party members who expressed their frustrations on an "out-of-touch" Washington. On both sides of the isle, Democrats and Republicans saw the rally as a gauge of the upcoming U.S. elections in November.

As Glenn Beck paced on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and spoke through a wireless microphone headset. He said, "Something that is beyond man is happening… America today begins to turn back to God. For too long, this country has wandered in darkness."

Beck continued to stress the need to return to the beginning in order to restore and said, "When people came together of different faiths in the Spirit of God … the first thing they did was pray together."

As the crowd was led in prayer by Pastor Paul, a direct descendent from the Mayflower, addressed God as the foundation from which America was born, how the "gospel of Jesus Christ should be the central focus of every settlement" and concluded by calling out for a spirit of "repentance" so the "healing, restoration, and recovery" of America would take place through "Jesus Christ, the eternal redeemer."

"This is the day we can start the hearts of Americans again, and it has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with God," Beck told the crowd. He called on Americans to reject hatred, adding that "there is a lot we can disagree on, but our values and principles can unite us."

Beck exhorted the crowd to "recognize your place to the creator. Realize that He is our King. He is the one who guide and directs our life and protects us." He asked his audience to pray more. "I ask, not only if you would pray on your knees, but pray on your knees but with your door open for your children to see."

Sarah Palin, the GOP vice presidential nominee in 2008, told the crowd, "We must restore America and restore her honor."

She told the crowd she wasn't speaking as a politician, but rather as "the mother of a soldier and I am proud of that distinction. Say what you want to say about me, but I raised a combat vet and you can't take that away from me." It was a reference to her son, Track, 20, who served a year-long deployment in Iraq.

"We are worried about what we face. Sometimes, our challenges seem insurmountable," Palin said. “Look around you. You're not alone. You are Americans! You have the same steel spine and moral courage of Washington and Lincoln and Martin Luther King. It is in you. It will sustain you as it sustained them,” and were greeted by the crowd's standing ovations and chants of "U!–S!–A!"

Some civil rights leaders accused Glenn Beck and the "Restoring Honor" organizers of hijacking Martin Luther King's legacy by having the event on the anniversary of King's "I have a dream" speech which took place at the steps of Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

However, Beck said he did not intend to choose the King anniversary for his rally but viewed it as "divine providence" for the event. Throughout the event, Martin Luther King Jr. was portrayed as an American hero.

Alveda King, the niece of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., a key note speaker addressed the attendees saying to "I'm joining Glenn to talk about faith, hope, charity, and honor. Those are things that America needs to reclaim. Our children need to remember to love each other how to honor each other, their parents, God and their neighbors. I agree with Glenn on all of those principles. So that's why I'm here. For me it's principles over politics."

"Glenn says there is one human race, I agree with him. We are not here to divide. I'm about unity. That's why I'm here, and I want to honor my uncle today."

"Faith, Hope and Love are not dead in America.  We still trust in God," she continued.

"I, too have a dream, it is in my dreams that God's agape love will transcend skin color and economic status...and America will repent of racism and return to honor. "

Alveda King is currently the director of African-American outreach at the pro-life group Priests for Life.  After having two abortions herself, King is now an advocate for the pro-life movement.

Beck noted that the Founding Fathers warned that if people turned from God, the country would be at risk.

"Let's take them as people who knew what they were talking about. Let's try the whole turning back to God thing and see what happens," he said.

To watch the entire event, visit C-SPAN.
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by Worthy News Asia Service, with Worthy News International Correspondent Stefan Bos

HANOI, VIETNAM (Worthy News)-- Eight arrested Christians remained in Vietnamese police custody Sunday, August 29, after a violent government crackdown on Christian villagers in which one person was killed and several others injured, including a pregnant woman who lost her child, rights activists said.

Advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC) said tensions began when Vietnamese authorities ordered the Christian Con Dau village, near the port city of Da Nang, to be abandoned to build a resort on the site. "When the people resisted water irrigation was shut off to the rice fields, cutting the main source of income and food."

Additionally, "Vietnamese police surrounded and attacked a [local] funeral” on May 4, “as it approached the cemetery. Police arrested and beat 62 persons including women who were stripped naked. One pregnant woman, Le Thi Van, was struck in her stomach until she had a miscarriage," ICC added.

A leader of the same funeral procession, Thomas Nam Nguyen, was killed last month after he refused to return to the police station where he was "beaten multiple times," the rights group said.

"On July 2, the police came to his house and caught him as he tried to escape. He was handcuffed and ordered to kneel with his head on the ground while the police kicked his back, chest and head."

WIFE INTERVENES

His wife was reportedly present and begged the police to stop. However, "They continued to beat him for approximately four hours, and then released him in critical condition. On July 3, he died at home in the hands of his mother, surrounded by his wife and three children," ICC explained.

While most detained in raids have been released, at least eight Christian villagers remained in police custody Sunday, August 28, and are awaiting trial, according to Vietnamese Christians."To date no family members have been able to see them," said ICC, who identified the individuals as Nguyen Huu Liem, Tran Thanh Viet, Doan Cang, Le Thanh Lam, Nguyen Thi The, Phan Thi Nhan, Nguyen Thi Lieu, and Nguyen Huu Minh.

"The people of Con Dau are living in desperate fear and confusion," explained Thang Nguyen, the Executive Director of Boat People SOS, an organization representing the Con Dau victims. "Hundreds of residents have been fined, and many have escaped to [neighboring] Thailand," he added in published remarks.

Vietnamese authorities have not commented on the case. Earlier however, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry denied reports of attacks on Christian villagers and predominantly Christian minorities, such as Degar Montagnards, in the country's Central Highlands.

CONGRESS HEARING

The United States Congress held a hearing on Vietnamese persecution earlier this month, focusing on the Con Dau incident. Witnesses reportedly included the brother of Thomas Nam Nguyen, a brother of a villager who escaped to Thailand, and a sister of two who are currently imprisoned.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Michael W. Michalak, allegedly said that the incident was a land dispute and refused to become directly involved. There was no reaction from the embassy.

ICC’s Regional Manager, Logan Maurer, said however that the latest incident underscores concerns about the 2006 by the United States State Department to remove Vietnam from the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, a list of nations with reported religious rights abuses. The State Department cited "progress in religious freedom" in Vietnam as the reason behind its decision.

However, "The Vietnamese government has exposed its brutality and greed, torturing and killing Christians to make room for their ambition," said Maurer. "The tourist resort they plan to build in Con Dau will have its foundation in blood. This incident shows [the State Department] could not be more wrong" to remove Vietnam from the CPC list.
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by Marshall Ramsey II, Worthy News US Correspondent

LONDON, ENGLAND (Worthy News)--  Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is urging all European Union (EU) foreign ministers to call for the formation of a United Nations (UN) Commission of Inquiry to investigate claims of crimes against humanity in North Korea, Worthy News has learned.

In a letter written to the EU foreign ministers, CSW is claiming that crimes against humanity abound in the country even as three Christians are said to have been executed and several others imprisoned.

CSW reports that prisoners face "dire" living conditions, chronic food shortages, "systematic and severe" torture, and "brutal punishments." They also state that relatives of prisoners are considered guilty by association, putting as many as 200,000 people in danger of being incarcerated in a North Korean prison camp.

"The barbaric system is calculated to cause extreme fatigue and sickness, and refugees have stated that imprisonment in the camps amounts to nothing more than a harsh, drawn-out death sentence," CSW reported. "Life expectancy in the camps is one to two years -- the same as that in Nazi concentration camps 70 years ago."

WORST PERSECUTORS OF CHRISTIANS

In 2010, North Korea was named as the top "persecutor of Christians" for the eighth straight year by Open Doors, one of a few organizations working with underground churches in the isolated nation.

All forms of worship are outlawed in North Korea except for the worship of Kim Jong-il and his late father and predecessor, Kim il-sung.

"A Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity is an essectial step towards justice and an end to impunity, and we urge the EU to support this recommendation and work proactively to achieve it," CSW's National Director Stuart Windsor said.

"The regime in North Korea is committing the most barbaric violations of human rights and it is time that the UN General Assembly took meaningful action to prevent the continuing suffering of the North Korean people."

As many as 400,000 Christians are forced to worship behind closed doors as they face imprisonment, torture, or public execution if the authorities discover their faith.
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by Mike Bouwer, Worth News South Africa correspondent


KARNATAKA, INDIA (Worthy News)-- After an attack on an Indian believers home in Karnataka, India, 12 believers, including the pastor and an evangelist were arrested by police Worthy news has learned.

During a service being held in the home of one of the believers, about 30 people entered and attacked the believers, accusing them of converting locals by force. It is understood the 12 are still in detention.

The Voice of the Martyrs is asking for prayer support for the twelve. The evangelist known only as Ravi is a member of the Indian branch of Campus Crusade for Christ.

The Campus Crusade for Christ, which states as its purpose “ Helping to fulfill the Great Commission in the power of the Holy Spirit by winning people to faith in Jesus Christ, building them in their faith and sending them to win and build others; and helping the Body of Christ do evangelism and discipleship”, has ministries in over 190 countries worldwide, India being one of them.
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NEWS.com.au

Petraeus: Planned Koran Burning Endangers Troops Voice of America Photo: AP The commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan says an American church's plan to burn Korans on September 11 could endanger US troops and damage the overall war effort in that country. General David Petraeus warned Tuesday that the ... Petraeus warns Koran burning could endanger AmericansTimes of India US general condemns Qur'an-burning planCBC.ca Petraeus: 'Burn a Koran Day' Could Endanger US TroopsNewsweek ABC News -TIME -MiamiHerald.com all 1,318 news articles »

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Telegraph.co.uk (blog)

First Read: GOP tidal wave may be building msnbc.com New NBC/WSJ poll shows GOP with nine-point lead (49%-40%) among likely voters, but it's tied among registered voters (43%-43%)… How Democrats can fight back: by hitting Republicans on Social Security and Bush… But the poll also suggests that playing ... Poll Gives Republicans Edge Ahead of US Midterm ElectionsVoice of America Polls Offer Grim Outlook for Democrats in NovemberCBS News Election 2010: Most expensive elections ever?Christian Science Monitor The Washington Independent -AFP all 474 news articles »

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Boston Globe

Obama's 'don't call it a stimulus' economic development plan Christian Science Monitor The first part of an economic development program announced Monday by President Obama would bring $50 billion in infrastructure upgrades, but the term 'stimulus' has become associated with big government spending. President Obama attends a Milwaukee ... Obama Proposes $50 Billion in InfrastructureNewsweek Official: Obama to back more business tax breaksThe Associated Press Obama to Propose Business Tax Relief, Spending to Spur GrowthBloomberg The Washington Independent -Reuters -Zacks.com all 3,169 news articles »

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Washington Post

CO Firefighters to Step up Attack on Boulder Blaze ABC News AP By DAN ELLIOTT and P. SOLOMON BANDA AP Writer Kurt Rieder, in white hat, with his 9 year old daughter Lily watch the smoke plume from a wildland... Firefighters in Colorado are planning to aggressively ramp up the fight against a 3500-acre wildfire ... CO firefighters to step up attack on Boulder blazeHouston Chronicle Multiple homes burned; thousands evacuated9NEWS.com Colorado Wildfire Destroys Dozens Of HomesCBS 4 WireUpdate -The Colorado Independent -AOL News all 942 news articles »

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CBC.ca

Valero says Corpus Christi unaffected by storm Reuters HOUSTON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N) said operations at its refineries were unaffected by the passage of Tropical Storm Hermine through Texas on Tuesday. Valero owns six refineries in Texas, including a 315000 barrel per day (bpd) ... Flood alert as Hermine hits TexasBBC News Natural-Gas Futures Fall on Mild Weather, Lack of Gulf Storm DisruptionsBloomberg Harris Co. under flash flood watch because of HermineHouston Chronicle Voice of America -The Associated Press -Reuters Africa all 2,171 news articles »

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The Guardian

Commuters walloped by strikes in France, London The Associated Press PARIS — Strikes hobbled public transit across France and in London on Tuesday, forcing tourists and commuters to alter their plans as they bore the brunt of a wave of discontent over government cost-cutting measures — a wave expected to soon prompt ... France, London hit by 24-hour strikesCBC.ca French Unions Protest Pension OverhaulWall Street Journal France rallies against pension reformSydney Morning Herald AFP -Telegraph.co.uk -CNN all 1,593 news articles »

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Reuters

Blast near police HQ in northwestern Pakistan Reuters ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A huge blast shook police headquarters in the northwestern Pakistani town of Kohat on Tuesday, causing many casualties, police said. Kohat is a garrison town close to the lawless tribal areas of Khyber and Orakzai, known as major ... 3 dead in blast at police complex in NW Pakistanmsnbc.com Bomb kills four near Pakistan police headquartersAFP Blast rocks police installation in NW PakistanThe Associated Press BBC News -CNN International -Voice of America all 1,108 news articles »

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The Hindu

Australia's Julia Gillard forms new government on shaky ground Christian Science Monitor Australia's Julia Gillard barely squeaked into power. But her slim majority means that passing any legislation will be tricky. Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard speaks during a news conference with Treasurer Wayne Swan in Parliament House, ... Australia's 'rainbow coalition' can expect a bumpy rideThe Guardian Australia Still Undecided, on MiningWall Street Journal Australian voters react to final election outcomeBBC News The Australian -Financial Times -ABC Online all 3,528 news articles »

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Kansas City Star

Obama to get the Woodward treatment USA Today The subject of Bob Woodward's super secret project on the Obama administration has been revealed, and the White House probably isn't crazy about the title. The latest book by the bestselling investigative reporter focuses on "Obama's critical decisions ... Woodward book to be called 'Obama's Wars'AOL News Bob Woodward's New Book, 'Obama's Wars,' to be Released Sept. 27ABC News Bob Woodward has a new book, and ABC's Diane Sawyer has lined up an interview ...Orlando Sentinel all 183 news articles »

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Telegraph.co.uk

Oracle's Hurd Mentality TheStreet.com NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Oracle's(ORCL) got its man: Mark V. Hurd, the ethics-tainted, staff slasher who was recently drummed out of Hewlett-Packard(HPQ). And here's the good part -- Wall Street could hardly be ... Oracle up as former HP's Hurd joins as presidentReuters Oracle's hiring of Hurd leads tech-sector actionMarketWatch Mark Hurd joins Oracle as co-president, directorBizjournals.com CNBC -Bloomberg -Forbes all 1,246 news articles »

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