Libya/Yemen: Potential for wars
Both countries face collapsed governance. In Libya militias, tribes and militant groups vie for control. Egyptian Coptic Christians have borne the brunt of instability, with at least 20 reported abductions since December 2014. There is serious concern that IS or a similar regime could take control. In Yemen Houthi rebels control the capital and there are waves of Al-Qaeda terror.The expansion of IS’ expansion and its competition with Al-Qaeda and its associates are fuelling jihadi activities. Both countries face a precarious year ahead. 99.5% of the population in Yemen are Muslims (9,056 Christians). In Libya the situation for Christians has deteriorated since the downfall of Gaddafi. The government claims all Libyans are Sunni Muslims. It’s illegal to import Arabic Bibles or to evangelise.The Yemen power vacuum puts the future into peril and Libya has fallen from Africa’s richest state under Gaddafi, to a failed state after NATO Intervention – see:
Jordan: Zaatari Refugee Camp
Abraham, Job, Moses, and Jesus walked Jordan’s land. Today only 2% of the population are Christian and Christians are persecuted or oppressed as a result of government policy. Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp is 10 kilometres east of Mafraq and has gradually evolved into a permanent settlement since opening in July 2012 to host Syrians fleeing the civil war. The camp features market-like structures along the main street where vegetables, basic household equipment and clothes are sold. There are also coffee shops where shisha can be smoked. The population has been increasing consistently and there have been demonstrations over lack of food supplies and poor accommodation. In the midst of the camp are Christians seeking to minister in these difficult conditions. Pray that in the heart of such hardship and uncertainty God will reveal Himself to many. Pray for families to have the opportunity to be resettled elsewhere. See also
Iraq: Christian broadcasting for refugee children
SAT-7 Kids presenter Mr Know visited camps for internally displaced people in Iraq. ‘I thought people would be miserable. The children miss their school and friends but they are full of hope. This is not denial. They talked about IS; one youngster said, ‘I will never react to what they have done to me;instead, I will pray that they feel the forgiveness of God in their hearts,’ Mr Know interviewed 11 year-old Miriam, asking if she was angry with Jesus because of what she had suffered but she said, ‘I know that he loves me because he kept me with my family; not one of us was kidnapped or sold.’ Mr Know began to cry and astonishingly Miriam comforted him, saying, ‘Do not cry for us. Your Christian broadcasting is giving us hope on screen. It is our turn to give you hope’.
Iran: President Obama calls Pastor Saeed a 'top priority'
American Pastor Saeed is in an Iranian prison because of his Christian faith. He was found guilty of ‘undermining state security,’ because he built a church network in private homes. He’s serving an eight year sentence. He's endured serious health problems and his wife has petitioned President Obama on his behalf for 2 ½ years while fasting and praying. Now there is a glimmer of hope for the family. President Barack Obama met privately with Saeed's wife, Naghmeh, last Wednesday while he was visiting her town in Idaho. Their conversation only lasted 10 minutes but Naghmeh says it was an answer to her prayers. The president told Naghmeh that bringing her husband home is a top priority. Naghmeh said she told President Obama, ‘God brought you here, God set up this meeting.’ She later told CBN news, ‘I have hope for the next steps because God is in control.’
India: Religious freedom
President Obama ended his visit to India with a speech referring to religious freedom. He warned India not to stray from its constitutional commitment to allow people freedom to ‘profess, practice and propagate’ religion. Obama's visit aimed to cement a strategic partnership with India, and the two leaders gave the media plenty of opportunity to see them developing a stronger relationship. The President chose his parting speech to deliver his message to the nation about treatment of non-Hindu faiths. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Obama said that Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism are ‘all different flowers in the garden, India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along the lines of religious faith’. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power in 2014, Hindu activists have been eager to declare their country a nation of Hindus, which has led to an increasing number of attacks on minority faiths.
Iran: Khamenei’s message to the West
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has posted an open letter to Western youth on his website, asking them to ‘gain direct and first-hand knowledge’ about Islam instead of information based on ‘resentments and prejudices.’ It might be the first time a senior Islamic cleric has directly addressed the youth of the West about his religion. The letter was posted just two weeks after the 7 January attacks by Islamist extremists in Paris. Part of the letter says, ‘I don’t insist that you accept my reading or any other reading of Islam. What I want to say is: Don’t allow the extremists this dynamic and effective reality in today’s world to be introduced to you through resentments and prejudices. Don’t allow them to hypocritically introduce their own recruited terrorists as representatives of Islam. Gain information about Islam through the Qur’an.’
Greece: Markets hit by debt default fears
Greek financial markets were in turmoil on Wednesday with investors fearing the new anti-bailout government was determined to defy its international creditors. Greek five-year bond yields jumped to a record high of 13%, reflecting fears that investors may not get their money back. Share prices also fell for a third consecutive day, with the main Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), down 7.6%. The biggest losers were bank shares. In the two sessions since Sunday's election, banks have seen 23% of their value wiped off, with investors fretting that the possibility of Greece leaving the euro would see bank accounts converted back into a new Greek national currency. The sharp movements came after new Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in his first cabinet meeting that he planned to negotiate with creditors over the €240bn (£179bn; $270bn) bailout. The EU has repeatedly warned the new government to stick to its commitments. A default could force Greece out of the euro.
Ukraine: Rebel attacks on city of Mariupol condemned by the UN
Russia's end goal remains the same: to seize more territory and move the line of Russian-controlled territory deeper and deeper into Ukraine. The US and Russia remain as far apart as ever over who is to blame for the current escalation in fighting in eastern Ukraine. The weekend’s deadly rocket attacks on the government-held port city of Mariupol on Saturday have been described by the UN at an extraordinary meeting of the Security Council as a ceasefire violation and a war crime. US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, didn’t mince her words when she described the restarting of the rebel offensive in eastern Ukraine as being ‘Moscow-made’: She said: unfortunately we are back here today because Russia and the separatists have once again flouted these commitments. The targets are fresh ones, but Russia’s end goal remains the same: to seize more territory and move the line of Russian-controlled territory deeper and deeper into Ukraine.’
Greece: Markets hit by debt default fears
Greek financial markets were in turmoil on Wednesday with investors fearing the new anti-bailout government was determined to defy its international creditors. Greek five-year bond yields jumped to a record high of 13%, reflecting fears that investors may not get their money back. Share prices also fell for a third consecutive day, with the main Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), down 7.6%. The biggest losers were bank shares. In the two sessions since Sunday's election, banks have seen 23% of their value wiped off, with investors fretting that the possibility of Greece leaving the euro would see bank accounts converted back into a new Greek national currency. The sharp movements came after new Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in his first cabinet meeting that he planned to negotiate with creditors over the €240bn (£179bn; $270bn) bailout. The EU has repeatedly warned the new government to stick to its commitments. A default could force Greece out of the euro.
Ukraine: Rebel attacks on city of Mariupol condemned by the UN
Russia's end goal remains the same: to seize more territory and move the line of Russian-controlled territory deeper and deeper into Ukraine. The US and Russia remain as far apart as ever over who is to blame for the current escalation in fighting in eastern Ukraine. The weekend’s deadly rocket attacks on the government-held port city of Mariupol on Saturday have been described by the UN at an extraordinary meeting of the Security Council as a ceasefire violation and a war crime. US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, didn’t mince her words when she described the restarting of the rebel offensive in eastern Ukraine as being ‘Moscow-made’: She said: unfortunately we are back here today because Russia and the separatists have once again flouted these commitments. The targets are fresh ones, but Russia’s end goal remains the same: to seize more territory and move the line of Russian-controlled territory deeper and deeper into Ukraine.’