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
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
“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.
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
Mourners pay tribute to murdered vicar
Hundreds of people have paid their last respects to Reverend John Suddards found stabbed to death in the hallway of his vicarage on St Valentine's day. On Saturday he was given a last goodbye in the church where he was installed as priest only eight-and-a-half months ago. The news of his death sent shock waves through the clergy and the close-knit community in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, about 11 miles north of Bristol. Speaking ahead of the service, The Venerable Geoffrey Sidaway, Archdeacon of Gloucester, paid tribute to Mr Suddards. He said that since Mr Suddards's death, the town had come together to support each other. He said, ' This service today and in about three weeks time the vicarage, up to this point has been a crime scene, will be having a service of prayer and blessing to open up the vicarage again. Hopefully in the summer we'll move to appoint a new priest to Thornbury.'
Pray: for John's family and congregation and for healing and new blessings in the parish. (Isa.57:19)
Christian doctor sacked following prayer e-mail
A Christian doctor is suing his employers for unfair dismissal after being sacked following his sending of a motivational prayer e-mail to colleagues and a Christmas text message to one individual. Dr David Drew’s employers at Walsall Manor Hospital complained that his behaviour was inappropriate after he e-mailed a prayer by St Ignatius Loyola to colleagues for motivation. The employment tribunal in Birmingham heard that his bosses also complained that he sent a Christmas text message to a colleague which read ‘have a peaceful Christmas’. Dr Drew started having problems with his employers after he complained about patient care at Walsall Manor Hospital. He claims that his employers responded to his complaints by accusing him of forcing his religion on colleagues. He was told that unless he agreed to the recommendations and accept them without questioning then he should resign. The hearing continues and is expected to last for three weeks.
Pray: for all involved in this dispute that they will recognise that Dr Drew has not acted inappropriately. (Ps.103:6)
Brave new church
The ecclesiastical landscape is changing and new mission movements are growing out of, or in some cases, away from traditional church models. The challenge is: how old and new can grow long into the future in a way that allows them to complement, rather than challenge, each other. Around a hundred Christians engaged in fresh expressions and mission movements across the UK convened at Sheffield Cathedral on Thursday in an attempt to break some new ground on this issue. The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft, sees it as one of the most important in the coming years. In his opening address to the New Monasticism conference, he said: ‘The principal challenge for the Church of England in the next 10 years is helping structures of the institutional church relate to the new mission structures that are emerging, and to help these mission structures relate to the Church of England.’
Pray: for both 'new' and 'old' to work together to more effectively carry out the work of the Church. (Isa.13:4)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/brave.new.church/29565.htm
Archbishop: ‘identity politics’ leaves society ‘fragmented’
‘Identity politics’ should not trump the common good, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He said: ‘Identity politics, whether it is the politics of feminism, whether it is the politics of ethnic minorities or the politics of sexual minorities, has been a very important part of the last 10 or 20 years because before that I think there was a sense that diversity was not really welcome.’ Dr Williams added: ‘We are now, I think, beginning to see the pendulum swinging back and saying identity politics is all very well but we have to have some way of putting it all back together again and discovering what is good for all of us and share something of who we are with each other so as to discover more about who we are.’ He continued: ‘Once we start saying this is my identity and that’s it then I think we are in danger of really fragmenting the society we belong to.’
Pray: for greater understanding of our differences that they may be respected, valued and allow people to live and work together in harmony. (Ps.133:1)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/archbishop-identity-politics-leaves-society-fragmented/
Bishop criticises BBC over 'sidelining' of religion
The Bishop of Bradford has criticised the BBC for its ‘lazy intellectual sidelining of religion’ and questioned why the broadcaster does not have a religious editor. In a disparaging analysis of religious programming, the Rt Revd Nick Baines claimed major television networks chose to ignore faith as if it had become ‘a toxic contaminator of decent culture’. He called for a shift in attitudes among leading broadcasters and warned that a wide variety of political and economic stories could not be adequately covered without taking ‘religion seriously. Writing in the Radio Times, he asked: ‘How does the BBC fulfil its public service remit by transcending the lazy intellectual sidelining of religion – challenging the ridiculous assumption among some in the Corporation that the ‘non-religious’ world view is neutral? The BBC has a sports editor, an economics editor, a political editor and editors for other areas of life. It has no religion editor.’ (See also Prayer Alert 09-2012)
Pray: for the BBC that the pressure fom the Church and the public will lead to recognition of the importance of our faith. (1Cor.2:6)