Pastoral Bible Institute News

World News

Religious

Pope Benedict XVI told a visiting Cypriot Orthodox leader that he holds hope that the Catholic and Orthodox churches can be united, despite centuries of painful division. Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus has offered to play the role of mediator to try to arrange a groundbreaking meeting between the pope and the Orthodox patriarch of Moscow, Alexy II.

—Associated Press, 6/16/2007

A shortage of qualified young clergy could be on the horizon for churches nationwide as large numbers of “Baby Boomer” pastors prepare to retire and fewer seminary students show interest in leading a congregation. A recent study by the Lewis Center for Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary shows a significant, 20-year decline across major denominations in numbers of clergy under age 35, both Protestant and Catholic. Other reports indicate only about one-third of seminary students in North America today plan to be ordained and serve a congregation.

—Fund for Theological Education, 6/1/2007

Officials of the Seventh-day Adventists World Church Headquarters of Silver Spring, Maryland have rejected a request to make a formal public apology for the more than 100 years of racial discrimination against Afro-American members of the Church. A controversial statement by Ellen G. White, the Church prophetess, is still in force against black members of the church. The statement, contained in the book Spiritual Gifts, says: “Since the flood there has been amalgamation of man and beast as may be seen in the endless varieties of species of animals and in certain races of men.” … The Church continues to be the most segregated along racial lines.

—Int’l. Laypersons Action Committee, 6/1/2007

The Joshua Project, an outreach program sponsored by the Unreached People’s Network, estimates that nearly 2.6 billion people worldwide have limited or no access to the message of the Gospel.

—Religion News Service, 5/14/2007

The group drafting Thailand’s new constitution voted against a proposal to include a clause designating Buddhism—followed by about 90 percent of Thailand’s 64 million people—as the national religion. Southern Muslims have long complained of discrimination in the Buddhist-dominated country.

—Associated Press, 6/29/2007

Social

A 22-mile-long bridge that its builders say is the world’s longest sea-crossing structure was formally finished just south of Shanghai. The bridge links Shanghai to the city of Ningbo across Hangzhou Bay, cutting the distance from about 250 miles to just 50 miles. It will open to traffic next year after completion of the six-lane roadway.

—Los Angeles Times, 6/27/2007

A tiny urban car called City Car with electric motors in all four wheels was developed by MIT researchers. The car’s wheels rotate 360 degrees, enabling it to slip into tight parking spaces. The researchers designed the cars to be able to be used as needed. They envision the two-passenger cars, which can stack together like shopping carts, being made available outside subways or bus lines. They said the electric cars are not intended as replacements for personal vehicles such as taxis.

—SmartCities.com, June 2007

More people than ever are driving alone to work. From 2000 to 2005, the share of people driving alone to work increased slightly to 77 percent, according to a Census Bureau report. Carpooling dropped and the share of commuters using public transportation stayed the same. More recent statistics show that few drivers are cutting back despite gasoline prices topping $3 per gallon.

—Associated Press, 6/13/2007

In Japan, more than 28,000 people are now older than 100.

—AXA Insurance, 6/15/2007

Intelligent textiles, smart clothes which monitor health, contain imbedded sensors designed to monitor body fluids such as blood and sweat, were developed by European scientists and funded in part by the European Union. The aim is to check on groups such as recovering patients or injured athletes. A prototype is near completion and the first version will be able to monitor sweat by measuring acidity, salinity and perspiration rate.

—BBC News, 6/11/2007

As of 2003, there was one restaurant for every 664 people in the U.S., according to the National Restaurant Association—way up from about three decades ago, when there was one for every 1,029 people.

—Wall Street Journal, 6/29/2007

Most U.S. ethanol currently comes from corn kernels. This is because breaking down the cellulose in corn leaves and stalks into sugars manufacturers can ferment into ethanol is difficult and expensive. However, a new type of corn developed and patented by Michigan State University scientists may change all of that. Spartan Corn already contains enzymes necessary to break down cellulose, letting farmers use the whole corn, from leaves to stalks, to produce ethanol. This could double the amount of ethanol from regular corn, researchers say.

—ISA.org, 5/10/2007

Annual world water use has risen six fold during the past century, more than double the rate of population growth. But water supply, most of it from the sea, is the same now as it was 10,000 years ago. Based on United Nations population projections, Credit Suisse estimates that by 2025, almost two-thirds of the global population will live in countries where water will be a scarce commodity.

—Financial Times, 6/22/2007

Somewhere in the world, one woman dies every minute of every day from causes related to pregnancy and birth—most often, uncontrolled bleeding and infection. In sub-Saharan Africa, the lifetime risk of maternal death is 1 in 16, compared with 1 in 2,800 in developed countries. In Sweden childbirth is so safe that only one woman dies for every 30,000 births. In the U.S. it’s one in 2,500. In Afghanistan, it is estimated one woman dies out of every seven women who give birth—the highest rate in the world.

—Newsweek, 7/9/2007

The American bald eagle, a national symbol once almost wiped out by hunters and DDT poisoning, has not only survived but is thriving. The Interior Department will announce it is removing the majestic bird from the protection of the Endangered Species Act, capping a four-decade struggle for recovery. The eagle population hit bottom in 1963 when only 417 mating pairs could be documented in the 48 states and its future survival as a species was in doubt. Government biologists have counted nearly 10,000 mating pairs of bald eagles … giving assurance that the bird’s survival is no longer in jeopardy.

—Associated Press, 6/27/2007

California may become the only U.S. state to require the sterilization of pets. A state bill would require pet owners to spay and neuter their dogs and cats, or face a $500 fine for each animal. Breeders, as well as owners of guide dogs, could obtain exemptions. The measure passed the Assembly by a 41-38 vote, the bare majority it needed to move to the Senate.

—Associated Press, 6/7/2007

About 90 percent of U.S. children under age 2 regularly watch TV, DVDs and videos, said a study by the University of Washington. Today, infants have their own 24-hour network, Brainy Baby and Baby Einstein DVDs, and a growing list of other programs made just for them. Many also have sets in their bedrooms.

—Seattle Post Intelligencer, 5/8/2007

Political

Police in Rio de Janeiro are using tanks to reduce violence in one of the world’s most dangerous cities. More than 6,300 people were murdered in the state in 2006. The German Complex, a slum containing 130,000 people, is about 20 minutes from downtown and has been ruled for a decade by the Red Command, Rio’s most powerful drug gang. Most residents in the area earn less that the equivalent of $207 per month.

—Bloomberg News, 5/31/2007

13¢  Exxon’s profit on one gallon of gasoline
18¢  U.S. government’s tax on that gallon
31¢  State government’s tax on that gallon

—Grove City College Economics Dept., 5/11/2007

The US is seeing a growth in the number of “homegrown” terrorist plots that have no connection with overseas groups, said Robert Mueller, director of the FBI. Of the 12 high-profile homegrown plots that the FBI has announced since the attacks of September 11, 2001, six have been revealed. He also said that there was a continued threat from overseas groups. Mr. Mueller said just 200 of the FBI’s agents had Arabic language skills, of which only 50 were at the level of being conversant.

—Financial Times, 5/10/2007

A Wisconsin service station owner has been ordered by the state to discontinue allowing senior citizens a 2-cent discount on each gallon of gasoline they buy from him and customers who support a local youth hockey program. Wisconsin’s “Unfair Sales Act” requires retailers to sell gas at prices 9.2% higher than the wholesale price.

—Investor’s Business Daily, 5/11/2007

Shanghai banned honking in the downtown area, threatening fines of U.S. $13 for those leaning on the horn. Not even police cars are exempt, with the use of sirens banned in all but emergencies, the rules say. Street noise is a major issue in Shanghai, where much of the 20 million population is packed into the old downtown of 19th century tenement housing and narrow streets.

—Associated Press, 6/27/2007

Increasing state ownership and rising resource nationalism are emerging as the main long-term threats to global oil supplies, says a report for the industry by an energy consultancy. The report by PFC Energy highlights the shift in power towards state-controlled national oil companies. Multinationals own or have access to less than 10 percent of the world oil resources. Resource nationalism is limiting access for international oil companies and limiting reinvestment to replace existing resources, which are being substantially depleted.

—Financial Times, 5/10/2007

Financial

In 2006, insurers paid $7.5 billion in disability claims by American workers, up 7.5% from 2005. Disabilities among American workers are growing at an accelerating pace. Insurers and researchers say the problem is increasingly related to unhealthy lifestyles, including poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Also, an aging work force and rising rates of obesity lead to ailments such as back pain, knee and hip injuries and diabetes. And improved treatments for diseases are helping more people survive, but leaving them disabled.

—Wall Street Journal, 5/1/2007

The West in the U.S. had its sixth driest spring on record. The worst fire to hit Lake Tahoe basin in a half century is the latest fallout from drought in the Western and Southeastern U.S. that is taking a growing toll on property and agriculture. In California alone, 13 counties were declared disaster areas and stand to lose $800 million from crop damage. In the Southeast, drought has contributed to wildfires that have consumed more than 600,000 acres of land, the region’s largest fire on record.

—Wall Street Journal, 6/26/2007

London is home to the most expensive property in the world, followed by Monaco, New York and Hong Kong, a new report shows. Prices for the most expensive properties rose more than 14% on average in 2006.

—Reuters, 5/11/2007

In the U.S. alone, more than $12 trillion sits in investment and insurance accounts earmarked for retirement.

—Swiss Reinsurance Co., 6/15/2007

Russian president Vladimir Putin called for a radical overhaul of the world’s financial and trade institutions to reflect the growing economic power of emerging market countries. Mr. Putin called for a new international financial architecture to replace the existing model. Fifty years ago, 60 percent of the world’s gross domestic product came from the Group of Seven Industrial nations. Today, 60 percent comes from outside the G7.

—Financial Times, 6/11/2007

According to PriceWaterhouseCoopers, from 2006 through 2011, India will be the fastest-growing auto manufacturer among the world’s top 20 car-making countries. In India, 7 people out of 1,000 own a car as compared with 450 out of 1,000 in the U.S. and 500 per 1,000 in Western Europe. Factory workers in India make about 26,000 rupees a month, or about $7,500 a year. By comparison, an assembly line worker in Dearborn, Michigan, makes about $57,000 a year.

—Bloomberg News, 5/24/2007

Milk prices worldwide are rising at the fastest rate ever and won’t be falling anytime soon because of growing demand in China and Latin America and dwindling government supplies. Dairy farmers have failed to keep pace with a 3 percent increase in annual milk consumption.

—Bloomberg News, 5/14/2007

Hong Kong is now home to the world’s sixth-biggest stock market (up from eighth in 1997) and last year it overtook New York to become the biggest market after London for initial public offerings. Its harbor was last year the world’s second-busiest container port. In January 2007 Hong Kong was named the world’s freest economy for the 13th year by the Heritage Foundation. However, the city today is swathed in pollution, with air quality so poor that the government advised people with asthma or cardiovascular disease to stay indoors on 41 days last year. The gap between rich and poor is growing as promised reforms have failed to materialize.

—Bloomberg News, 5/8/2007

India joined the list of countries with trillion-dollar stock markets, according to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

—Financial Times, 5/30/2007

Contrary to popular perception, very few high-income people pay no taxes, the IRS says. A report on tax returns with income of $200,000 or more for 2004 says only 4,101 returns, or 0.134% of the returns in that group, showed a world-wide tax liability of zero.

—IRS.gov website, June, 2007

Israel

Germany’s Jewish establishment has demanded that Israel not advertise the invitation for German Jews to immigrate to the Jewish state. Stephan Kramer, head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, sent a letter last week to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert saying he would request the German government’s help in preventing Israel from encouraging Jews to make Aliyah (immigrate to Israel) from Germany. The current letter follows an Israeli government decision to widen the scope of the immigration assistance program from the Former Soviet Union to include Germany as well—a place where an estimated hundreds of thousands of Russian Jews and their relatives now reside. Currently, about 100 people make Aliyah from Germany each year. Earlier this year, Kramer boasted in an interview with Britain’s Daily Telegraph that Germany’s “renaissance has drawn more Jewish immigration than Israel.”

—Arutz7, 6/6/2007

A tiny “submarine” robot has been designed by Dr. Nir Schwalb, of the Judea and Samaria College in Ariel, and Oded Solomon, of the mechanical engineering department of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. They say it has the unique ability to “crawl” through tubes with the width of human veins and arteries, even going against the flow of blood at the speed in which it passes through blood vessels. It is too early to know what medical uses the robot will have, but they suggest the possibility of being involved in brachytherapy, in which cancer patients are exposed to short-distance radiotherapy from a source placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. 

—Israel 21c, 6/26/2007

The French Jewish umbrella organization CRIF has hailed the election of Nicolas Sarkozy as the new president of France as a positive sign. The former interior minister is seen by Jewish organizations as a friend to Israel and an important figure in the fight against anti-Semitism. Political expert Frederic Encel called Sarkozy “by far the most pro-Israeli French presidential figure Israel could have hoped for.”

—World Jewish Congress, 5/7/2007

Israel has flourished beyond the wildest dreams of the ardent socialists who founded the Jewish state. Yet prosperity has not brought security. There is a growing gap between poor and wealthy Israelis that is threatening to undermine the national drive to protect itself. Observant Jews now account for a growing proportion of military personnel, according to Zionists there. The religious currently make up 20% of the Jewish population, but roughly 40% of the army, up from less than 15% two decades ago.

—Wall Street Journal, 6/26/2007

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Dan Gillerman, has accused moderate Muslim and Arab leaders of standing by in “eerie silence” while Islamic extremists terrorize people around the world. He cited recent incidents in Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Kenya, Jordan, Turkey, Algeria, and Morocco. “Hundreds of Muslims are killed by Muslims, and you don’t see a single Muslim leader that stands up and says enough is enough,” the ambassador said, adding, “What we are witnessing today truly is a clash of civilization, in the singular … because most of the horror, most of the bloodshed, most of the terror, and most of the killings are within Islam. And the vast majority of victims are Muslims.”

—World Jewish Congress, 5/22/2007

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned that his people are on the verge of civil war and said infighting is worse than living under Israeli military rule. He criticized Palestinian militants, who captured an Israeli soldier a year ago and continued to fire rockets at Israeli towns near Gaza after Israel’s pullout from the coastal strip in 2005.

—Associated Press, 6/5/2007

Israel

—Arutz Sheva, 3/26/2007

—CNS, 3/30/2007

—New York Post, 4/25/2007

—Arutz Sheva, 2/27/2007