Afghanistan's finance minister has said deadlock over the disputed presidential election has cost the economy $5bn. Omar Zakhilwal told the BBC he would have to cut salaries and lay off government workers if the crisis was not resolved by the end of the month. Foreign investment is at a standstill and government revenues have fallen sharply since the April vote.
Two contenders have claimed victory but have so far failed to reach a deal on a government of national unity. A full audit of the votes is still under way under United Nations scrutiny. But the BBC's David Loyn in Kabul says the audit could take weeks to complete.
The two leaders competing for power, Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, have failed to reach a deal despite a personal intervention from US President Barack Obama.Our correspondent says there is a worsening air of crisis and that prices of basic foods have risen sharply, while the Taliban have staged some of their biggest assaults for many years, taking ground in the south and east.
Mr Zakhilwal told the BBC that cuts he had already made in non-essential spending had had a "depressive effect" on the economy, and the continuing political uncertainty was having an impact in every corner of the economy.
Ashraf Ghani, who was leading in preliminary results, has most to lose from conceding too much ground before the final result is known.
His rival Abdullah Abdullah has accused election officials of "massive fraud". Many of his senior supporters want him to take a tougher line, believing that their candidate won the vote.
Pray for this political and economic crisis to be handled effectively and for a government of national unity to result from the audit of the voting process.
Also, continue to pray that the Taliban Muslim extremists who recently launched an attack near the capital of Kabul will be defeated and put to flight by the Afghan military forces. One of their leaders has also expressed interest in linking up with the ISIS "caliphate" in Iraq, which would add significant further danger to the war on terror.
http://m.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28924968
From some Iranian ministry leaders:
After 18 years of work, in partnership with Wycliffe Bible Translators, we are excited to be able to provide the people of Iran with a beautiful, elegant and accurate translation of the Bible. In recent years the Iranian church has experienced remarkable expansion. Operation World says it is the fastest growing church in the world today. Iranian Christians have been waiting eagerly for this new Bible. They already love the translation of the New Testament portion and have seen its massive impact.
There are so many stories of people who have found Christ through reading it. Just last week I heard that the son of an Ayatollah came to Christ as he read the Gospels. We believe as the Word of God spreads, Iran will be transformed.
Please pray for:
- Seamless printing of 100,000 copies before yearend
- Wisdom for distribution
- The Lord to open new channels for getting Bibles into the country
- Protection for all those involved in transportation, receiving and giving out the Bibles
- For the Holy Spirit to speak to believers and non-believers as they read the Bible
- That Iran will be spiritually transformed as the Word of God spreads.
During the last couple of weeks, 105 people died, 195 are missing, and around 20,000 people have been displaced through serious flooding. It is really hard for people.
Please pray for God's grace and mercy upon flood victims and for the relief efforts. Pastor Jaggu Gahatraj in mid west Nepal reported that his 45 church members were displaced and do not have food and home and clothes... Many have become orphans, homeless, landless, and many have lost their loving family members. Pray that God would be with these needy people.
We appreciate your prayer and love.
Govinda Budhathoki
House of Prayer
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The world urgently needs to find a drug that can fight Ebola
More than 100 scientists and industry executives will convene this week at the WHO's headquarters Geneva, Switzerland, in response to a spiraling Ebola crisis. Their urgent mission will be to comb through the world's stock of experimental Ebola drugs and vaccines and agree on a plan for clinical trials...
Experimental Ebola drugs - though still wildcards - have been touted as possible miracle workers in the international fight to quell the outbreak, the worst on record. The epidemic has subsumed Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, and it has appeared in Nigeria, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo...
Meanwhile, the WHO announced last week that it has drafted a broad roadmap to "dramatically scale up the international response" to the crisis and halt Ebola's spread within six to nine months.
Health workers have been highly critical of what they say is a lackluster international response to the emergency: after a U.N. meeting on Tuesday, Doctors without Boarders president Joanne Liu excoriated the leaders of unaffected nations for scrambling to secure their own borders against the virus, but failing to sending sufficient aid and experts into the crisis zones.
"Six months into the worst Ebola epidemic in history, the world is losing the battle to contain it," Liu said, calling on able countries to send bio-defense teams to West Africa. "We cannot cut off the affected countries and hope this epidemic will simply burn out. To put out this fire, we must run into the burning building."
Liu told the U.N. much of what has been done so far to stop the virus is not working. "Riots are breaking out," she said. "Isolation centers are overwhelmed. Health workers on the front lines are becoming infected and are dying in shocking numbers. Others have fled in fear, leaving people without care for even the most common illnesses. Entire health systems have crumbled."
The U.N. meanwhile warned on Tuesday that the quarantines are expected to cause a food crisis in West Africa, as restrictions on movement in and out of afflicted communities are affecting food supplies, and as panic buying is jacking up the prices of ever-scare staples.
More than 1,500 people have died in West Africa - almost half of the some 3,500 cases confirmed since the disease was identified in March. The WHO predicts that around 20,000 more people will fall ill with the virus before its spread can be stopped.
Please pray for a cure to be found for Ebola and for the WHO and other organizations and national governments to become effective in containing and eradicating this awful, death-dealing disease.
After 307 years since the union of the Scottish and English Parliaments created the United Kingdom of Great Britain, the people of Scotland will on 18 September vote in a referendum to decide if they wish to stay part of the UK or become an independent state. This is the latest stage in a long process that has seen the growing calls for more 'self-government' result in the creation of a Scottish Parliament in 1999 with its own First Minister and government, with responsibility devolved from the UK Parliament in London for running a range of domestic services such as health, education, justice etc...
We give thanks to God that the campaign, while vigorously conducted on both sides, has been a 'war of words', with none of the violence that sometimes accompanies such campaigns in other parts of the world. However, whatever the result, the Referendum will have a profound impact on the whole of the UK. Even if there is a 'no' vote, it remains to be seen what effect the emotions and forces released by this campaign will have on the unity of the British state, as parts of England are now calling for strong regional assemblies with devolved powers similar to those enjoyed by the Scottish Parliament and, to a lesser extent, by the Assemblies that also exist in Wales and Northern Ireland.
As we approach the vote we praise God there is a rising tide of prayer and increasing unity in the Church, with a shared concern for the future moral and spiritual life of this nation. A unique call for two days of national prayer and fasting on Sunday 14th and Wednesday 17th has been signed by 16 leaders of major denominations supported by many others. Also two days of continuous prayer on the 17th and 18th until midnight led by Parliamentary Prayer Scotland in Edinburgh. For details of these and other prayer events in the final week before the vote see www.prayforscotland.org.uk...
Please pray with us:
For the spiritual life of the nation. As the campaign draws to a close pray for 'God's will to be done and for His Kingdom to come'. Pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our nation, that Church leaders will rise again, empowered to be bold, fearless and to speak with wisdom and authority into every level of society.
That many will respond and take part in the national 'call to prayer'. That in every community churches will come together, laying aside their differences, uniting in common cause for the good of their community and the nation. That a chorus of intercession such as has never been heard before will ascend to the throne room of heaven so that, whatever the result, the atmosphere over this nation will be changed for the better, and permanently.
For national unity. That the result will be accepted graciously by both sides, with neither extreme triumphalism nor bitterness being displayed. For reconciliation within families, neighbourhoods, workplaces and wherever there has been division through opposing views. That at a national level political leaders will demonstrate a degree of statesmanship that transcends political rivalries, and that the Church will play a prominent role locally and nationally in the reconciliation process.
For the political leadership in the UK and Scottish Parliaments, and for the leaders of the 'Yes' and 'No' campaigns - for wisdom, respect and moderation as they conclude their campaigns. For the truth to be paramount and for the facts to be presented clearly and honestly so that we can vote from a well-informed position. For the Members of the Scottish Parliament and their families at this time of intense stress and relentless campaigning - for strength and health to keep going, with love and patient support from all those around them.
That all may be done 'to the glory of God and the good of Christ's church'.
Alistair Barton, Chairman, Pray for Scotland -
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Anne McIntyre, Director, Parliamentary Prayer Scotland -
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We have a generation today that is hungry for a cause that will match their unique DNA. They are waiting to be challenged to reach their full potential, as individuals and as a generation. The World Youth Prayer Assembly (WYPA, working event name) believes that God is setting-up a globally-connected, digital, extreme generation whose passion is to seek His face, for such a time as this. They only need to be gathered, challenged, and released to their destiny.
Last August 26-28, 2014, an initial consultation meeting among 27 leaders, both senior and youth leaders from 9 different nations, was held at The Noah's Ark Hotel and Resort in Hong Kong. The vision of calling forth and engaging an emerging generation across nations to challenge and empower them to fulfill their destiny as catalysts for change was agreed upon. There was no debate in saying that the WYPA will not be just another event; it is foreseen to be a catalyst of a movement that will eventually have a life of its own.
It was important for the leadership to agree upon the core values of the gathering, understanding that should different regions and nations catch the DNA and run with it, the 'pocket gatherings' should have the same values and standards as the one set by the organizing body. These values include being Biblical and flowing in the Spirit, Jesus-centered, Kingdom-focused, Holy Spirit-kind-of-radical, multi-generational (focusing on the family and championing the youth), and unifying, among others. These values are projected to result to young people being awakened to their destiny, empowered to occupy, and released to become catalysts for change in their respective walks of life. It is also hoped that the young people will receive a clear understanding of their unique, individual callings. With that, it was agreed that the gatherings will be planned from the perspective of the ones attending, and the program will be put together by the youth and for the youth. It was noted that worship will play a major role in the program, knowing that this generation's gift is to seek the face of God thru worship. Some of the key, guiding Scriptures that were laid out are Malachi 4:5-6, Luke 9, Acts 17, 1 Peter 4:7-8, Isaiah 60, Isaiah 40:3-5, 1 Timothy 4:12, Joel 2:15, Joel 3:9-10, Psalm 110:3, and Psalm 2.
After careful consideration of criteria that would meet the need for host countries, and after revelations of "multiple birthings," the following nations are being considered to host the WYPA, pending their country's spiritual leaders' agreement and welcome: South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. And what was initially just one gathering for 2016 is now shaping up to be a three-year, annual assembly on 2016, 2017, and 2018.
An "International Dream Team" of 30-40 youth leaders from different organizations all over the world will be organized to be the stirrers of the WYPA. An 'incubation period' for them is being planned for October 2014, possibly in South Korea, after finalizations with hosting countries are made by end of September.
Please pray...
- For Jerome and Abel Ocampo and their family as they take the lead in these significant gatherings. Pray for key leaders in every host nation who will run alongside them in the vision.
- For the leaders of the different nations being considered to host-that they may decide according to God's heart for the WYPA.
- For wisdom for the Executive Leadership as they make crucial decisions for the gathering.
- For the youth leaders who will compose the "International Dream Team"-as God hand-picks each of them, that they will find their gifting and anointing complementing one another's for the vision of the WYPA to come into fruition.
- For financial provision for all that will be needed to see a generation rise up and take their place. An estimate budget of $3M-$5M is projected for each gathering.
- Recently, Ps Jerome is contemplating on changing the event name from World Youth Prayer Assembly to International Youth Prayer Convergence, believing that it will be new wine skin for the young people to embrace and identify with, while still maintaining the touch and flavor from the WPA. Please pray about the final name the event will carry.
More than 60 world leaders have gathered in Wales for the NATO summit taking place right now. They represent 28 member countries, with 4,000 delegates attending. The first session today focused on the future of Afghanistan, with NATO combat troops planned to leave this year. Ukraine, the Islamic State militant threat, and the very future of NATO are also on the agenda.
- For President Obama and other NATO leaders that they will be enabled to come to agreement on taking wise, strong and courageous actions for deterring Russia in Ukraine and overthrowing the Islamic State army of terrorist killers in Iraq and Syria.
- That a strong international coalition of military forces will be assembled to fight and defeat the ISIS terrorists as well as giving the Iraqi military and Kurdish army any military supplies they need for their war against them. That ISIS will be thrown into confusion, disunity and retreat and that the Iraqi military, Kurdish army, and international forces will be able to overcome them and taking back the territory they have captured.
- For caring, effective humanitarian aid efforts for many millions of refugees (Syrians and Iraqis).
- That Muslims will turn to Jesus Christ in the Middle East and worldwide, now seeing what the real spirit of Islam is like. May the veil of deception that blinds their minds be removed!
- For two crucial, timely prayer seminars to build up the Iraqi prayer movement, first in Erbil, Kurdistan and then in Baghdad led by a dear friend and prayer initiative colleague named Sam. (He and I with others were there in both places earlier this year.)
Pray for many to be able to take part, for a strong presence of the Holy Spirit and that the participants will be enabled to really cry out for their nation, to repent, grieve, weep and wrestle for Iraq. Pray also for Sam to have God’s wisdom, guidance and anointing and that he will enjoy special favor and protection in this current core trouble spot of the world.
We need a “Gideon’s Army” of 300 specially called and anointed ministry leaders and intercessors for each of two critical prayer gatherings coming up:
- The Summons, Oct. 1-5, for Hollywood and the media (www.nationaldayofprayer.org)
- The National Prayer Assembly: Seeking the Face of God for America, Oct. 29-30, in Washington, D.C. (www.nationalprayercommittee.com)
Please pray with us for both events that the right people will register to take part and that these initiatives will be used of the Lord to even change the history of the USA.
“If my people who are called by my name…” (2 Chron. 7:14)
“History belongs to the intercessors, who believe the future into being.” - Walter Wink
Thanks so much for making such a difference through your prayers!