Eurozone unemployment reaches near 15-year high
Unemployment in the eurozone reached its highest level in almost 15 years in February, with more than 17 million people out of work, and economists saying they expected job office queues to grow even longer later this year. Joblessness in the 17-nation currency zone rose to 10.8% - in line with a Reuters poll of economists - and 0.1 points worse than in January, Eurostat said on Monday. ‘We expect it to go higher, to reach 11% by the end of the year,’ said Raphael Brun-Aguerre, an economist at JP Morgan in London. ‘You have public sector job cuts, income going down, and weak consumption. The economic growth outlook is negative and is going to worsen unemployment.’ February's level - last hit in June 1997 - marked the 10th straight monthly rise and contrasts sharply with the United States where the economy has been adding jobs since late last year.
Pray: that the unemployment figures would begin to reduce. Pray that governments would be able to get to grips with the economic situation.
More: http://www.euractiv.com/socialeurope/eurozone-unemployment-reaches-near-15-year-high-news-511926
Iran-backed Hezbollah’s Threat Growing in the US
“The warning last month from Representative Peter King, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, was blunt: An investigation by his staff had determined that "hundreds" of people he described as "Iranian and Hezbollah terrorists" were in the United States. But interviews with U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials, as well as private experts, about the Iranian-sponsored group paint a more nuanced picture. There is a threat, though whether it is imminent or extensive is far from clear, they say. An alarming part of the officials' assessments focuses on the apparent surveillance missions that Iranian diplomats and possible Hezbollah operatives have been seen conducting at sensitive targets such as New York subways and bridges, and at nuclear power plants and tunnels elsewhere in the United States in the past 10 years.”
www.Newsmax.com, April 5
Please pray for the foiling of terrorist plots in the USA and around the world as part of the global jihad by radicals.
Central Asia Update
The situation for religious freedom throughout Central Asia seems to be worsening across the region. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have been difficult for several years already. Christians have been arrested and heavily fined and some have spent time in prison for their faith. It has become increasingly difficult to register new churches in these nations.
However, in the past year or so, the situation has also deteriorated in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. New laws have been passed in all of these nations that greatly limit religious freedom. In Kazakhstan, churches have been raided and pastors fined or held for questioning. The new law requires all churches to re-register with the government and churches with under 50 members are not eligible for registration. In Tajikistan, the new law prohibits children or youth under the age of 18 from attending religious meetings, preventing them from attending church.
In spite of the difficulties we are not discouraged! We understand that historically the church has flourished under persecution. We are believing God for the great harvest that He has promised in this strategic part of the world! Would you agree with us in prayer for God to move across the ancient Silk Road in an unprecedented way?
INSIGHT: Aung San Suu Kyi secures parliament seat
A year ago a Burmese citizen could be arrested for mentioning the name of their beloved, ‘The Lady’. On Tuesday she was voted into parliament after winning one of 44 seats in the Burmese parliament. Although her party hardly has control of the government, these election results are a game-changing feat, and Christians across the world are praying that it is the first step in Gods provision for Burma's future governance. From Burmas elections on 1st April until the end of the year there will be sixty six international elections, and United Kingdom local elections are included in this figure. According to 1 Timothy petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving are to be made for all those in authority because God wants all people to come to a knowledge of the truth. (iTim.1-5) For a brief profile of spiritual and leadership needs of each of these countries, and the date of the election please click the info button.
Pray the leadership of Burma will be virtuous, making decisions that would benefit the nation and her neighbours. (Heb.13:16-18)
http://site.prayer-alert.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=377&Itemid=93
