Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, head imam of an educational and cultural centre in Eire, said there would be ‘a backlash’ against a new European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling allowing employers to ban staff from wearing hijabs and other religious symbols in the workplace. He was responding to the ruling on the EU directive on equal treatment in employment and occupation. A Muslim woman in Belgium had challenged a company policy prohibiting the wearing of a hijab, on grounds of discrimination. However, the ECJ ruled that an internal rule prohibiting the visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious sign does not constitute direct discrimination. Dr Al-Qadri said the ruling was ‘a very serious threat to the principles of tolerance, equality and religious freedom in Europe’. He warned that Islamophobia is increasing, especially in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.

Many refugee children are abandoned, abused, or lost to trafficking because of neglect or being orphaned. They are forced to work or beg for money on the streets where refugees currently live. One child said: ‘Because my father died in the war, I was forced to work selling things on the streets. One day, some people visited my mother, sisters and me. They helped me go to a school for refugees and learn about Jesus.’ The compassion expressed in the story of the prodigal son gives us insight into the heart of God. He is the compassionate God who weeps over those who are lost and despairing. His desire is that those who have lost their way will return to Him and know the great love He has for them. Pray for refugee street children in the Middle East and Europe.

Ecuadorians have suffered from poverty and the instability of political turmoil for a long time. Even now, the people are waiting anxiously to see who will win the presidential run-off on 2 April. Many have searched for hope and stability in something greater than politics.As a result, many have turned to Jesus for answers. Once home to the smallest percentage of evangelicals in Latin America, Ecuador now boasts over 1.2 million believers! This growth has been miraculous - particularly among groups like the Quichua and the Waorani. But even amidst these miraculous movements, the Church battles division and widespread false teachings, and the nation continues to suffer from political instability, corruption, and poverty. Ecuador stands at a pivotal moment, both politically and spiritually. Prayer can change the outcome.

The fighting in Syria grows more complex as Turkey aims to interrupt the line of territory held by Kurdish forces along its border and the US works with the Kurds to prevent battle escalation and focus on IS. Pray for this tense situation where Turkish and US goals are in disagreement. Pray also for the third round of peace talks sponsored by Russia and Turkey that began on 14 March. In Iraq, the campaign to retake Mosul from IS progresses despite fierce resistance. Iraqi commanders are hopeful they can overcome IS within six months. Many civilians have been prevented from fleeing by IS, and horrific sites of mass burials have been uncovered in captured areas. Pray for the future for Mosul, for peace-building and reconstruction to be given as much thought as the current military campaign. The two-year conflict in Yemen has killed 7,700 people, including 1,500 children. The fallout is that over 18 million people need food aid.