Members of the Scottish Parliament have launched an inquiry into end-of-life care
provision in Scotland, after the issue was highlighted during debates on legalising
assisted suicide. Committee head Duncan McNeil MSP and his deputy Bob Doris MSP launched
the inquiry at a Marie Curie hospice in Glasgow. Duncan McNeil said, ‘When faced with a
terminal condition, it’s clear that the priority must be to put patients’ needs at the
heart of their treatment and care. We want this inquiry to shine a light on access to
palliative care in Scotland and what more can be done to improve care for people at the
end of their lives.’ * PLEASE NOTE - At Westminster, Labour MP Rob Marris is set to
introduce an assisted suicide Bill in the coming weeks. MPs will vote on the issue on 11
September.

Khaleel al-Dakhi, a lawyer who helped to rescue 530 women and children from IS-controlled
territory tells of atrocities being committed by IS and warned British women not to join
‘Islamic State’. His work is shown in a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, broadcast on
Wednesday 15 July at 10pm. ‘They beat the women, they gang-rape them, they make them
have forced marriage with many men. Some women have their infant babies taken away by
force. They take them to a slave market and give women to each other like a gift.’
British women should face up to the truth about IS, Khaleel says, ‘Any British woman
planning to leave the UK to join IS should talk to the escaped women of Sinjar about life
under the terrorists’ rule. If they don’t believe me or you or the government they should
come and talk to our girls, then they will believe.’ See also:
http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/islam/rescue-worker-tells-of-isis-horrors

On Saturday the General Synod gave final approval to a package of proposals intended to
take further the process of making the Church a safer place for children and vulnerable
adults - both by making the disciplinary processes under the Clergy Discipline Measure
2003 more effective where safeguarding issues arise and by strengthening the Church's
wider legal framework in relation to safeguarding in various ways. The legislation was
originally introduced in February 2014 following a consultation launched at Synod in July
2013.

Church leader Dr Joe Boot calls on Christians not to despair in the face of
terrorist attacks and changes in the laws of the land. ‘We must not give in to despair in
the face of loud, high profile opposition to God and the Christian faith. The same is
true for us as it was with Elisha, that the sovereign Lord is on the throne and ‘Those
who are with us are more than those who are with them’ (2Ki.6:16)’. With Islamic
jihadists murdering dozens of Britons in Tunisia and the many laws of our land that do
not agree with the laws of God it would be easy to be despondent as a Christian. However,
the truth of the gospel means we cannot give in to fear, doubt or despair. See also THE
MILL GATHERING STATEMENT at http://wpc.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/04/The-Mill-Statement-Apr-2015.pdf

Malta’s Tele-evangelist Gordon John Manché’s repeated failures to submit his
organisation’s accounts to the Commissioner for NGOs is due to a disagreement with the
law, according to the religious group’s financial consultant, adding that the most recent
accounts of Nations for Christ will be presented in due course. Nations for Christ have
not submitted their accounts to the Commission since 2010. In that year, they declared an
income of €149,899 solely from donations, a significant leap from the €43,298 declared in
2009. Their spokesperson told MaltaToday, ‘The reason for this delay is not related to
the operation of Nations for Christ but to matters relating to the way legislation
relating to voluntary organisations in Malta has developed, matters that we will be
discussing with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.’

The single currency, conceived to cement European integration, has revived historical
animosity between Greece and Germany, particularly in public opinions expressed on Athens
streets and in German tabloids. A lot has happened since Mr. Tsipras called a referendum.
The referendum caused banks to close and the European Central Bank to cap emergency
lending resulting in the Greek economy needing more money over a longer period (until
2018). After brutal overnight talks, Monday’s deal pushes Greece into a financial abyss
and increases political and economic strains in a country already in depression. Many
believe, ‘Greece is still nominally part of the Eurozone. But the conditions Germany won
to punish the country for its misdeeds could easily topple the fragile Greek coalition
government. Economists believe that Greece’s separation will not settle Greece’s
relations with the rest of Europe. Whatever Greece decides there will be an angry
population within the euro or an angrier population outside of it. The feuding could last
for years. see: http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2015/07/greece-and-its-
creditors?zid=307&ah=5e80419d1bc9821ebe173f4f0f060a07

Boko Haram is not driving Christians away. Evangelists have expanded church planting in
Nigeria's northeast by meeting the needs of displaced people. Their courage has seen
members of Boko Haram repenting and putting their faith in Christ. Boko Haram is killing
people, but this indigenous ministry is discreetly working in villages and in camps for
the internally displaced. They are offering humanitarian assistance and proclaiming
Christ at a time when few are bold enough to do so. ‘There are 70,000+ people in the
camps, so it is a mission field for us,’ said the director of the indigenous ministry.
‘We used to reach them with the gospel in their villages, but now we reach them with the
gospel, food, medicine and Bibles.’ Former Boko Haram members are being discipled in
safe-havens and have shown a strong interest in learning the Bible, ridding themselves of
anything grievous to God and becoming spiritually grounded so they can reach other
Muslims.

The unwavering faith of a young Iraqi girl who was forced to flee her homeland in the
Middle East together with her family has stood out among the many horror stories on the
IS terror campaign. In a recent media interview that went viral, 11-year-old refugee
Maryam Behnam said that, despite all the transgressions committed by the IS, including
the brutal killing and abduction of thousands of people, she said she has forgiven the
jihadists. She also said that her words come from the Holy Spirit. When asked ‘What are
your feelings towards those who drove you out of your home and caused you hardships?’ She
replied, ‘I won't do anything to them, I will only ask God to forgive them.’ She also
said, ‘In the Bible Jesus said, 'Don't be afraid, I am with you,' and also, He said
‘forgive others no matter who is hating you. You have to forgive them.’