Infectious diseases spreading faster than ever: U.N.
By Laura MacInnis
GENEVA (Reuters) - Infectious diseases are emerging more quickly and spreading faster around the globe than ever and becoming increasingly difficult to treat, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
With billions of people moving around the planet every year, the U.N. agency said in its annual World Health Report: "An outbreak or epidemic in one part of the world is only a few hours away from becoming an imminent threat somewhere else."
WHO director-general Margaret Chan said mass travel could facilitate the rapid spread of infectious diseases.
"No country can shield itself from invasion by a pathogen incubating in an airline passenger or an insect hiding in a cargo hold," Chan told reporters.
The U.N. agency warned that there was a good possibility of another major scourge like AIDS, SARS or Ebola fever with the potential of killing millions appearing in the coming years.
"Infectious diseases are now spreading geographically much faster than at any time in history," the WHO said.
It said it was vital to keep watch for new threats like the emergence in 2003 of SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which spread from China to 30 countries and killed 800 people.
"It would be extremely naive and complacent to assume that there will not be another disease like AIDS, another Ebola, or another SARS, sooner or later," the report warned.
Since the 1970s, the WHO said, new threats have been identified at an "unprecedented rate" of one or more every year, meaning that nearly 40 diseases exist today which were unknown just over a generation ago.
Over the last five years alone, WHO experts had verified more than 1,100 epidemics of different diseases.
It was therefore vital for countries to share information on outbreaks so risks can be assessed and mitigated, Chan said.
MONITORING VITAL
The report called for renewed efforts to monitor, prevent and control epidemic-prone illnesses such as cholera, yellow fever and meningococcal diseases.
International assistance may be required to help health workers in poorer countries identify and contain outbreaks of emerging viral diseases such as Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever, the WHO said.
It warned global efforts to control infectious diseases had been "seriously jeopardized" by widespread drug resistance, a consequence of poor medical treatment and misuse of antibiotics.
This is a particular problem with tuberculosis. Extensively drug-resistant (XDR-TB) strains of the contagious respiratory ailment have emerged worldwide.
Although the H5N1 bird flu virus has not mutated into a form that passes easily between humans, as many scientists had feared, the next influenza pandemic was "likely to be of an avian variety" and could affect some 1.5 billion people.
Chan noted that the last influenza pandemic was in 1968 and had killed about 1 million people. "We have learned from previous pandemics that even the mildest pandemic causes too many premature deaths. We don't want to see that," she said.
She urged countries affected by human cases of bird flu, including Indonesia, to continue sharing virus samples, deemed crucial to tracking the virus and to developing a pandemic vaccine.
Egypt on offensive to deflect arms-smuggling charges
By Stan Goodenough
Dec 26, 2007
The regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Wednesday resorted to tried-and-tested deflection techniques in an effort to avoid being blamed for the flood of weapons it has allowed to be smuggled into the Gaza Strip.
Those weapons, already amounting to many tons, have helped turn Gaza into a Mecca for terrorism, arming thousands of Palestinian Arabs with the means to fulfil their highest aspirations, which include carrying out successful terrorist attacks on Israel's Jews.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit - in whose country the vintage antisemitic forgery "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is an enduring bestseller - lashed out at the Israel lobby in America, saying it was using accusations of Egypt-assisted weapons smuggling to pressure Washington into cutting its annual $2 billion in military aid to Cairo.
"The latest months have seen the Israeli lobby's efforts to harm Egypt's interests with the Congress," Gheit said, adding that the lobby "inside the Congress was behind some positions adopted by Congress, and the Israeli media campaign in the last few months falls within this trend."
Israeli reporters noted that Gheit levelled his charges just minutes before Israeli Foreign Minister Ehud Barak was due to met Mubarak in the Sinai's Sharm e-Sheikh, and a few hours after The Jerusalem Post reported in its top story that Barak intended to "confront" the Egyptian dictator with evidence of Egypt's complicity in the weapons smuggling.
Shortly after the Post report, an Egyptian official who spoke "on condition of anonamity" said Egyptian police had earlier Wednesday arrested a weapons smuggler and discovered more than half a ton of explosive material and hundreds of kilograms of bomb-making chemicals in his home on the Gaza-Egypt border.
Egypt has a long and sordid history of encouraging terrorists to murder Jews through the Gaza Strip, which it controlled from 1949 to 1967.
It also has a history of hypocrisy.
While incessantly demanding that Israel settle the Palestinian Arab refugee issue, Cairo itself refused to absorb or even grant work permits to the "Palestinians" during the 19 years it occupied Gaza - brutally suppressing any demonstrations against its unjust rule.
Rightists to give Bush warm 'welcome' in Jerusalem
By Stan Goodenough
Dec 26, 2007
Organizations representing Israelis opposed to America's land-for-peace efforts plan to greet US President George W. Bush with a large demonstration when he visits Israel next month.
The protest is scheduled to take place in Har Homa - a southern-Jerusalem neighborhood which Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently condemned Israel for developing.
Due here for three days from January 9, Bush is coming to give a personal push to the process that plans to take historic Jewish lands out from under Israeli control and give them to Arabs for the creation of a Palestinian state.
The American's determination to establish "Palestine' - which would be the 23rd Arab state - persists despite the proof that this state would pose an existential threat to what would be left of Israel.
Israel is already gearing up for the presidential visit, with the Prime Minister's Office having appointed a special task force to help prepare the way.
Enormous numbers of Israelis reject Bush's "two-state-vision," knowing from painful experience that the land-for-peace process brings anything but peace.
At least ten thousand turned out in Jerusalem's streets in protest two days in a row during the Annapolis Middle East conference last month.
Fearful Iranian Jews furious about news of immigration to Israel
By Stan Goodenough
Dec 26, 2007
Jewish community leaders in the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed outrage Wednesday at the "lying" report that tens of Iranian Jews had secretly made aliyah (immigrated) to Israel.
The vehement denials came after Israeli media earlier in the day trumpeted the news that 40 Jews had secretly made their way from Iran to the Jewish state, probably via a third, anonymous country.
Iran's leaders have repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel while working feverishly to develop the nuclear weapons with which to accomplish their goal.
Nevertheless, the Jewish leaders that responded so strongly to Wednesday's aliyah news were adamant that the country's 25,000-strong Jewish community lives free of fear and experiences little if any antisemitism.
Analysts suggested the leaders' reaction was motivated out of fear of reprisals from the Iranian authorities.
By loudly declaring their love for, and loyalty to Iran, they apparently hoped to prevent or ameliorate any backlash that could result from the immigration.
Gaza's Arabs fire seven rockets into Negev
By Stan Goodenough
Dec 26, 2007
Palestinian Arabs in Gaza continued their efforts to kill and terrorize Israeli Jews Wednesday, firing seven Kassam rockets and three mortar shells from the Hamas-controlled Strip at targets in the Negev.
Three rockets were fired the day before.
While no injuries were reported - apart from one woman having suffered shock - the terrorist attack effectively added more layers to the great weight of fear already endured on a daily basis bu residents in Sderot and other Israeli communities within striking distance of Gaza.
The Kassam rockets have been falling for years, making a mockery of the Israeli government's expressions of concern and of the IDF's vows to put an end to the firing.
Over 2000 Kassams have hit Sderot since January 1, 2007
Man takes wrong turn where being a Jew means death
By Stan Goodenough
Dec 26, 2007
Ynetnews reported Wednesday a 28-year-old Israeli man narrowly escaped being savagely lynched by a mob of bloodthirsty "Palestinians" when he accidentally drove into the PA-controlled town of Ramallah just north of Jerusalem.
Amir Ochana was reportedly misled by his GPS navigation system and found himself surrounded by Arabs in the heart of the unofficial "Palestinian" capital and seat of the PLO/PA Authority.
He was rescued by a couple of anonymous Arabs - possibly Israeli special forces operating in disguise - but not before he had been physically assaulted and had his cell phones stolen and his car's windows smashed in by a crowd yelling "A Jew! A Jew!"
According to a number of foreign tourists who have visited Ramallah at different times in recent years, the city seethes with hatred of the Jewish people.
Driven by their demonic and antisemitic religious beliefs, Muslim Arabs in Ramallah and other "Palestinian" areas have frequently leaped at the opportunity to kill Israelis.
In one such event televised around the world, IDF reservists Vadim Nourezitz and Yosef Avrahami were literally torn apart by thousands of delighted "Palestinians" when they drove into Ramallah in October 2000.
Nourezitz's wife, upon hearing that something was happening in Ramallah, called her husband's cell phone to be told by the shouting Arab who answered: "We have just killed your man."
Meanwhile in related news, Arabs in the Samarian town of Kalkilya Wednesday hurled stones at cars driven by Jews, damaging at least three vehicles. No injuries were reported.
Clinton urges Iowa voters to caucus on wrong day
Mon Dec 24, 8:05 AM ET
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton may have shot herself in the foot trying to get Iowa voters to pledge support to her -- she is encouraging them to go caucus on January 14, 11 days too late.
At a rally featuring her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Saturday, campaign workers asked supporters to sign and mail cards that said "Yes! I'm an Iowan for Hillary" with their contact information as well as other supportive friends.
One small problem. In the upper right-hand corner of the card, it says "I, _____, pledge to support Hillary Clinton at my precinct caucus on January 14, 2008."
Unfortunately, that's 11 days too late. The Iowa caucuses are January 3 and organization is key to getting voters to go to the events and support their preferred candidate.
The Politico.com, an Internet site that specializes in politics and first reported the mistake, said at Bill Clinton's second event on Saturday the cards had the wrong date crossed out and replaced with the correct date.
Clinton, Huckabee Ahead in Oklahoma Poll
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 3:00 PM
-- THE RACE: The presidential race for Republicans, Democrats in Oklahoma, which holds its presidential primary on Feb. 5.
THE NUMBERS - DEMOCRATS
Hillary Rodham Clinton, 34 percent
John Edwards, 25 percent
Barack Obama, 15 percent
Don't know/refused, 20 percent
___
THE NUMBERS - REPUBLICANS
Mike Huckabee, 29 percent
John McCain, 17 percent
Rudy Giuliani, 11 percent
Mitt Romney, 9 percent
Fred Thompson, 8 percent
Don't know/refused 22 percent
___
OF INTEREST:
Huckabee was favored in a head-to-head matchup with Clinton, 56 percent to 35 percent, in this heavily Republican state. Clinton also trailed McCain (61-31), Romney (51-30), and Giuliani (50-38). Edwards led against Romney (50-37), appeared slightly ahead of Giuliani (48-42) and was about even with Huckabee, but was 11 percentage points behind McCain. Oklahoma has not supported a Democrat in a presidential election since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
___
The telephone poll, done for the Tulsa World and television station KOTV by Sooner Poll.com, was conducted Dec. 16-19. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points for the 745 registered voters surveyed. For questions asked of 338 Republicans only, the error margin was plus or minus 5.3 percentage points. For questions asked of 380 Democrats only, the error margin was plus or minus 5 percentage points.
Russia Selling Iran Sophisticated New Air Defense System
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
TEHRAN, Iran —
Russia is selling Iran a new and sophisticated air defense system while they are criticizing the U.S. for implementing a similar missile defense plan in European coutries. Such action causing people of nations around the world to call the Kremlin hypocrites. Experts say this aircraft/missile defense system is capable of dealing a serious blow against would-be attackers.
The new S-300 air defense system signals growing military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Wednesday.
"The S-300 air defense system will be delivered to Iran on the basis of a contract signed with Russia in the past," state television quoted Najjar as saying.
Najjar didn't say when or how many of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense systems would be shipped to Iran.
Earlier this year, Russia delivered 29 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran under a $700 million contract signed in December 2005.
Russian officials wouldn't comment on the Iranian statement, but the Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified source in the Russian military-industrial complex as saying that a contract for the missiles delivery had been signed several years ago and envisaged the delivery of several dozen S-300 missile systems.
The S-300 is much more powerful and versatile weapon than the Tor-M1 missile systems supplied earlier, which were capable of hitting airborne targets flying at up to 20,000 feet.
The S-300 is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of up to 95 miles and at altitudes of up to 90,000 feet. Russian military officials boast that it excels the U.S.-built Patriot missiles currently being deployed in Israel.
Rumors about the sale of S-300 missile systems to Iran have circulated for a long time, but Russian officials consistently denied it.
Putin: Religious Conservative?
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 3:58 PM
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed some surprising sentiments regarding religion, asserting that religious values are essential to morality and saying he takes a Bible with him when he travels.
In an interview with Time magazine, which recently named Putin its Person of the Year for 2007, he was asked what role faith plays in his leadership.
“First and foremost, we should be governed by common sense. But common sense should be based on moral principles first,” he answered.
“And it is not possible today to have morality separated from religious values.”
Asked if he has read the Bible, Putin replied: “Yes, I have. And the Bible is on my plane.”
As for why his government has arrested some industrialists and seized their assets, Putin made a Biblical reference and said: “Well, thou shall not steal.”
Putin praised Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev for moving “toward destruction of the system that no longer could sustain the Soviet people, adding: “I’m not sure I could have had the guts to do that myself.”
He also said it is obvious “that the market economy has major advantages over an administrative system. We have had GDP growth of about 7 percent a year on average over the past seven or eight years.”
Morrison Resigns Amid Intense Public Pressure Over Sex/Corruption Scandal
by Staff
December 21, 2007
TOPEKA, Kans., (christiansunite.com) -- Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison announced his resignation on Friday amid increased public pressure after details surfaced earlier in the week of his illicit affair with a subordinate and alleged attempts to use that relationship to influence abortion investigations. Morrison's resignation will become effective on January 31, 2008.
"We want to thank our tens of thousands of supporters who responded to our call on Tuesday for e-mails calling for Morrison to step down," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "We want you to know that your voices added to the mounting public pressure that resulted in Morrison's resignation."
"Kansans are weary of corruption and the appearance of impropriety over abortion investigations. Gov. Sebelius must understand that any replacement for Morrison simply cannot be another political crony who is beholden to the abortion cartel," said Newman. "We urge Gov. Sebelius return integrity to the Attorney General's office by appointing someone who is above reproach and whose pocketbook does not have strings to abortion blood money."
About Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation. Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.
Operation Rescue to Sebelius: 'Just Say No to Biggs'-Abortionist's Ties To Biggs Disqualifies Him As Morrison Replacement
by Staff
December 21, 2007
TOPEKA, Kansas, (christiansunite.com) -- As the political fallout concerning Attorney General Paul Morrison's illicit sexual affair and allegations of abortion investigation corruption continues to rain down on Kansans from the editorial pages and radio waves, one person whose name as been mentioned as a possible replacement for Morrison, should he resign, is Chris Biggs current Kansas Securities Commissioner.
Operation Rescue considers Biggs unqualified to replace the discredited Morrison because of his ties to late-term abortionist George R. Tiller. Tiller currently is facing criminal prosecution by the Attorney General's office on 19 counts of illegal late-term abortions.
Biggs, who was defeated by Phill Kline for Attorney General in 2002, accepted $2,000 in campaign contributions on the books from Tiller's political action committee, ProKanDo. But it is what is off the books that should disqualify Biggs from consideration.
Tiller funneled nearly a quarter of a million dollars into the Biggs campaign through Kansans for Democratic Leadership, a shill group set up by Tiller operatives in order to "launder" abortion money so that the recipients would be able to deny association with Tiller and the abortion lobby. It was a shady, dishonest maneuver that drew an investigation after the election. While not technically illegal, the money was given through a complicated series of donations so that the public would be deceived about who was actually behind the campaign funding.
"Because of the deceptive nature of the way huge amounts of money was pumped in the Biggs campaign by Tiller, Biggs's integrity and honesty remain under a cloud of suspicion, and that is the last thing Kansans need in the Attorney General's office right now," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "Given the fact that Tiller is in the process of a criminal prosecution, it is clear that Biggs, with his shady connections to Tiller, is the wrong man for the job."
"Any politician with ties to Tiller, Planned Parenthood, or the national abortion lobby should not be considered as Morrison's replacement," said Newman. "Instead, Operation Rescue urges Gov. Sebelius to appoint someone with the experience and integrity to do the job without the attachment of the abortion cartel's puppet strings."
About Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation. Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.
Out of Control School Board to Teach About Sex to 4th Graders
by Staff
December 21, 2007
PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida, (christiansunite.com) -- With a 4 - 1 vote, the St. Lucie County, FL School Board approved a graphic, explicit, risky Condom Ed Curriculum. Only Troy Ingersol had the wisdom and courage to reject this outrageous curriculum. Kathryn Hensley, Carol Hilson, John Carvelli, and Judi Miller all followed the recommendation of Planned Parenthood's Michael Panella to support the following:
For 4th Graders, the curriculum instructs teachers to: "Read students the following statement of fact: 'The AIDS virus is transmitted only through blood, semen, and vaginal fluids; people most commonly contract the virus by using needles contaminated with the blood of someone who's infected or by having sexual intercourse with someone who's infected.' Ask if anyone was surprised by the facts."
The curriculum changes implemented began as a curriculum for grades 9-12. Then, curriculum opponents found that condom education would begin in 8th grade, but finding out that 4th graders were going to learn details of how HIV is contracted shocked Port St. Lucie Pastor Bryan Longworth.
Longworth, who was one of only 5 private citizens to review the curriculum, read the above curriculum quote to the board prior to its vote. Longworth comments, "I was appalled to learn that 9 and 10 year olds will be exposed to sexual content. In teaching this to 4th graders, the school board will rob children of their childhood. I have not met one person who is in favor of teaching sexual content to 4th graders. Even some supporters of this curriculum think this goes too far." Longworth, who has already picketed one school board member's house, plans to publish flyers of the school board members next to quotes from the curriculum. Longworth promised, "We're going to let the community know which board members voted to teach sexual content to 4th graders. The community can then decide whether the board members are fit to make decisions about their children's future."
Pastor Bryan Longworth is the associate pastor of Covenant Tabernacle in Port St. Lucie, FL, cofounder of Youth for America, and is part of a group of parents and concerned citizens that gathered over 3,750 petitions in opposition to "Get Real about AIDS." Notes, video footage, and links from his October 12, 2006 press conference can be viewed at www.covenanttabernacle.com/covenant_tabernacle_sex_ed.html
Petitions, information the curriculum, and video footage can be found at www.SexEdFacts.com.
Florida Marriage Protection Amendment Makes Historic Petition Goal for 2008 Ballot
by Staff
December 20, 2007
TALLAHASSEE, Fl., (christiansunite.com) -- www.Florida4Marriage.org representatives in Tallahassee today announced that the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment has exceeded the number of verified petitions to qualify to be on the November 4, 2008 ballot.
"Today, the people of Florida have spoken. And they will speak again in November of 2008. Their message will be timeless and clear--Marriage is the union of one man and one woman," said Orlando Attorney John Stemberger, State Chairman of the Florida4Marriage.org Campaign. "This is the next critical milestone in the effort to protect the institution of marriage in Florida," he commented. "A super majority of Floridians believe, and the research clearly indicates, that children do best when raised by a mom and a dad."
On December 12, 2007, the Florida Division of Elections Website indicated that marriage amendment petitions had been verified throughout the 67 counties of Florida. This accomplishes the final legal requirement to place the marriage amendment on the 2008 ballot so Floridians can decide how marriage will be defined in their state.
Opponents of the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment have already begun to disseminate false and misleading information about the amendment. The primary group opposing the amendment is the so- called "Florida Red and Blue" committee. In a recent interview on Tampa's Fox 13 "Your Turn" show, Campaign Manager, Derrick Newton disingenuously stated with a straight face, "We do not have an opinion on gay marriage." Masked as a bi-partisan coalition, Red and Blue's board and donors are actually made up almost exclusively of democrats, left wing groups and gay rights activists. In contrast, according to our research, marriage amendment petitions were signed by a wide and diverse group of Floridians with approximately, 35.1% democrats, 49.2% republicans and 15.6% independents and other parties.
Amendment opponents are attempting to argue that the marriage amendment could take away benefits from senior citizens and other persons in Florida who might be registered with domestic partnerships. "All of these arguments are utter nonsense. Shame on them for such intellectual dishonesty," said Stemberger, who publicly blasted Red and Blue at the press conference. "They know from the 27 others states whose citizens passed marriage amendments, that if they debate homosexual marriage straight up, they will loose. Shame on them for such desperate tactics in trying to scare Florida's most vulnerable and precious citizens - our seniors."
The text of the amendment has been approved by the Florida Supreme Court and would constitutionally prohibit polygamy, group marriage and same sex marriages. The amendment clearly does not interfere with any of the existing domestic partnerships in Florida which grant only a small set of rights. Florida courts have already ruled on very similar issues. Arizona, the only state to loose a marriage amendment, did so because homosexual activists did not discuss gay marriage but switched the debate by scaring senior citizens into thinking the measure would strip them of benefits. Stemberger said, "Gay- rights advocates in Florida are now trying to use this same pathetic tactic here in Florida but it is not going to work. This time --we are ready for them."
Special thanks was given to the hundreds of thousands of volunteers, churches and pro-family groups which helped collect and process this historically unprecedented number of petitions. Supporters are encouraged to continue gathering signatures until the last week in January of 2008 because opponents have publicly announced challenging the amendment with a lawsuit if the number of petitions collected is merely close to the goal of 611,009 and does not exceed the number significantly.
For more information contact: 407-251-1957 or go online for the lastest information at www.Florida4Marriage.org
12 churches attacked in eastern India
Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2007, 10:46 (GMT)
BHUBANESWAR - Hundreds of federal police were deployed in India's eastern state of Orissa on Wednesday as Hindu hardliners burnt and damaged 12 churches in communal clashes, killing at least one person, police said.
The reported injury of a local Hindu leader by a Christian group on Monday sparked two days of violence over Christmas in the Kandhamal district of southern Orissa by hardliners who accuse Christian groups of converting low-caste Hindus.
"The situation is tense but under control," said B.B. Mishra, a state inspector-general of police.
Local television channels showed one ransacked church, with its windows smashed and broken furniture strewn across the floor. Another channel showed charred remains of a church roof.
The hardliners, some linked to India's main Hindu nationalist grouping, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have often accused Christian priests of bribing poor tribespeople and low-caste Hindus to change their faith.
Many of the churches targeted were makeshift places of worship, often built with thatched roofs and mud walls, local media reported.
A senior Christian leader said state authorities had turned a blind eye to the violence. He compared the situation to that in Gujarat state, where a BJP-led government has been accused of inciting violence against Muslim and Christian minority communities.
"I feel the government has allowed them to continue this sort of thing somehow, because I am afraid they are repeating what happened in Gujarat in the last two-three years," Raphael Cheenath, Archbishop of Bhubaneswar, the provincial capital, told local television.
B. Barik, a local Hindu organisation leader, said the clashes began after Christian groups placed religious statues at a Hindu religious site.
Orissa, now governed by a BJP ally, has witnessed some of the worst attacks on Christians in the past, including the 1999 murders of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two children who were burned to death inside their car by a mob.
Christian groups say lower-caste Hindus who convert do so willingly to escape the highly stratified and oppressive Hindu caste system.
But several BJP-ruled states have passed anti-conversion laws. Christians account for around 2 percent of mainly Hindu India's 1.1 billion people.
The reported injury of a local Hindu leader by a Christian group on Monday sparked two days of violence over Christmas in the Kandhamal district of southern Orissa by hardliners who accuse Christian groups of converting low-caste Hindus.
"The situation is tense but under control," said B.B. Mishra, a state inspector-general of police.
Local television channels showed one ransacked church, with its windows smashed and broken furniture strewn across the floor. Another channel showed charred remains of a church roof.
The hardliners, some linked to India's main Hindu nationalist grouping, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have often accused Christian priests of bribing poor tribespeople and low-caste Hindus to change their faith.
Many of the churches targeted were makeshift places of worship, often built with thatched roofs and mud walls, local media reported.
A senior Christian leader said state authorities had turned a blind eye to the violence. He compared the situation to that in Gujarat state, where a BJP-led government has been accused of inciting violence against Muslim and Christian minority communities.
"I feel the government has allowed them to continue this sort of thing somehow, because I am afraid they are repeating what happened in Gujarat in the last two-three years," Raphael Cheenath, Archbishop of Bhubaneswar, the provincial capital, told local television.
B. Barik, a local Hindu organisation leader, said the clashes began after Christian groups placed religious statues at a Hindu religious site.
Orissa, now governed by a BJP ally, has witnessed some of the worst attacks on Christians in the past, including the 1999 murders of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two children who were burned to death inside their car by a mob.
Christian groups say lower-caste Hindus who convert do so willingly to escape the highly stratified and oppressive Hindu caste system.
But several BJP-ruled states have passed anti-conversion laws. Christians account for around 2 percent of mainly Hindu India's 1.1 billion people.
Switchfoot swaps band instruments for building tools, raises over $100,000 for Habitat for Humanity
Posted: Friday, December 21, 2007, 16:55 (GMT)
Multi-Platinum selling band Switchfoot concluded its 34-city Appetite for Construction Tour with Relient K and Ruth in Everett, WA Dec. 3.
The benefit tour that hit such major markets as New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas and more, raised over $100,000 for Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
With an average of over 3,000 tickets sold per night, and raising one dollar for every ticket sold for Habitat for Humanity, the impact of the tour leaves a lasting legacy. All of the money raised is going directly back into the local Habitat affiliates in each of the 34 tour markets.
In addition to the monetary contribution, Switchfoot members swapped their musical instruments for building tools and worked side by side with future Habitat homeowners at several build sites across the country, including sites in San Diego, Houston, Seattle (Everett, WA) and Baton Rouge.
The band further met with and gave tickets to top Habitat for Humanity volunteers in tour markets.
"[Our fans have bought] a lot of tickets and CDs and T-shirts and stickers and you leave a tour with those sorts of numbers and people say that's a successful tour. I disagree. That doesn't mean anything," says Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman in an interview with the Charleston Daily Mail.
"I want us to have a touring history that has impacted people in other ways than selling them a product.
"To plug them into an amazing organization like Habitat is an honor. For us it's a chance to donate more than money...if people can't donate money, they can still use their hands to help."
Switchfoot guitarist, keyboardist Jerome Fontamillas echoed in an interview with the Mobile Register that Habitat for Humanity's focus and efficiency are what won the band's support. "The thing that excites me about Habitat is the idea that it is local.
"They've got an incredibly tight ship as far as how much of the money actually goes directly into the houses. The thing that blew me away the most is that they've housed more than a million people around the planet."
"One of the beauties about Habitat for Humanity is that there is virtually an endless range of opportunities for people to contribute?and to become part of the solution. Our friends in Switchfoot are an inspiring example of this," says Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford.
"Not only are they financially supporting our work with families in need of decent, affordable shelter, but they've also worked hard on Habitat build sites to engage in that part of Habitat's effort.
"Even beyond that, they're providing a strong voice both literally and figuratively for so many families whose housing plights go too often unheard. Habitat is very grateful and very proud of the friend we have in Switchfoot."
Inspired by Habitat for Humanity, co-headliners Switchfoot and Relient K also wrote a song for this tour, "Rebuild," which they performed together each night of the tour.
The song continues to inspire fans to the charitable work as Switchfoot offers the song for free on its website, www.switchfoot.com/rebuild, asking fans to donate time or funds to Habitat for Humanity.
Since its inception, Switchfoot has been actively involved in a number of humanitarian causes, including DATA, Bono's THE ONE Campaign, Invisible Children and To Write Love on Her Arms.
It also founded the Switchfoot Bro-Am, a surfing and music benefit-event raising money and awareness for Care House, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving homeless teens, teens in crisis and young mothers in crisis throughout San Diego County.
The band further started the online magazine, lowercase people (www.lowercasepeople.com), a daring new endeavor to revolutionize the way beauty, truth and humanity is viewed.
With over 5 million records sold, three albums in the Billboard Top 20, two top-five singles at both pop and alternative radio, Switchfoot is also recognized as one of the hardest touring bands in rock. Playing its first concert in Singapore next month, the San Diego-based band has sold more than two million concert tickets worldwide since the 2003 release of its double-Platinum breakthrough album The Beautiful Letdown.
With an ever-growing fan base, Switchfoot continues international touring in support of its next two critically acclaimed albums, Nothing Is Sound and Oh! Gravity.
Recorded at Big Fish Recording in Encinitas, CA, Oh! Gravity. showcases a harder rock direction for Switchfoot.
The album debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes chart and has received stellar reviews, with Billboard magazine calling it "the best of the San Diego group's nearly 10-year recording career." Spin exclaims this album is "their liveliest record, full of dive-bombing guitar fuzz, juicy arena-alt choruses."
"This is an outstanding record in every sense," raved Associated Press. Alternative Press found that "Oh! Gravity. [is a] sparkling, focused album bursting at the seams with giant hooks and even bigger ideas. In fact, Oh! Gravity. is Switchfoot's most diverse disc to date."
Switchfoot's Jon Foreman also returns to his indie-scene roots by releasing four solo EPs over the coming months. These EPs, individually titled Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, will be released prior to the upcoming Switchfoot album in late 2008.
Switchfoot is: Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar); Tim Foreman (bass, backing vocals); Chad Butler (drums); Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keys, backing vocals); and Andrew Shirley (guitar).? For more information, go to www.switchfoot.com.
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