Austria: Russian video scandal
23 May 2019
On 18 May Austria's vice-chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache resigned after German media published a video that purportedly showed him offering government contracts to a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch, in exchange for media coverage and political funding. The scandal drove Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to call for snap elections instead of trying to revive his weakened coalition government. ‘Enough is enough,’ Kurz told reporters, while Strache, who leads Austria's far-right Freedom Party, described the incident as a ‘targeted political assassination.’ The video was reportedly just months before Austria's last election, where Strache's party received 26% of the vote and 51 seats. In the wake of the video, Kurz said the abuse of power, taxes and interference in media affairs were among his concerns. Strache vowed to take legal steps to address the video.
Globally: pollution impacts on poorest people
23 May 2019
Sir David Attenborough backs a new report by Tearfund, in collaboration with other agencies, stating that one person dies every thirty seconds in developing countries from diseases caused by plastic pollution and uncollected rubbish dumped or burnt near homes. He said, ‘It's one of the first reports to highlight the impacts of plastic pollution on the world’s poorest people’. Open-air burning of plastic and rubbish adds to carbon emissions, contributing to climate change. Multinational companies selling single-use plastic in developing countries must make fundamental changes to business models to halt the health crisis. This report is one of the first to highlight the impact of plastic pollution, not just on wildlife but also on the world’s poorest people. Pray for this report to impact and convict those responsible for introducing plastic to countries where it cannot be adequately managed. Pray for international action to support the communities and governments most acutely affected by this crisis.
India: five year plan
23 May 2019
Five year plans are centralised and integrated national economic programmes. India launched its first one in 1951 under Jawaharlal Nehru. Although he has no ‘plan’ for the next five years, a bitterly contested election campaign appears poised to give prime minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist BJP party a resounding mandate for the next five years. For thirty years India was governed by a series of broken, temperamental coalitions. Modi’s election in 2014 broke the pattern, and this victory will exceed even the BJP’s expectations. The primary force for Christian persecution in India is Hindu nationalism, which voices the belief that India belongs to the Hindus and that people of other faiths should find somewhere else to live, work and worship. In 2018 more than 12,000 Christians were attacked, but this number is only the tip of the iceberg, researchers say, as increasing numbers of persecution acts go unreported. See
Asia and Africa: change and conflict
23 May 2019
In Algeria and Sudan, peaceful protesters are continuing to demand genuine change, but the military - the most powerful institution in both countries - resist the calls. Both countries know that ousting an authoritarian leader is no guarantee of reform. In each case, Christian communities have added their voices to the calls for greater democracy and transparency. In the Holy Land, recent violence saw Islamic militants from Gaza launch 600+ rockets into Israel, and Israel responding with a heavy bombardment. Both sides eventually agreed a ceasefire, which is currently holding, but the UN envoy to the Middle East warned on 13 May that the risk of another war ‘remains imminent’. Half the Christian population has returned to Iraq following the collapse of IS, but they are returning to broken towns and Iran-backed militias in the Nineveh area. The search for peace, good governance, fairness, justice and dignity continues.
Libya: persecuted for faith and gender
23 May 2019
There are about 37,900 Christians in Libya: most are migrant workers from abroad. Libyan Christians must keep their faith secret, so it is hard to know how many there are in this tribal, Islamic society. The government claims that ‘all Libyans are Muslims’. The anarchy and civil war mean that the rule of law barely exists, and Islamist extremists attack Christians freely. Leaving Islam is a betrayal, and being a woman makes you second class. Christian women in Libya are doubly vulnerable to persecution, targeted for their gender and their faith. Their suffering is invisible. They are ignored by the world around them. Open Doors want every woman to reach her God-given potential, and have launched a ‘Change’ campaign. For more info click the ‘More’ button.
Globally: God among Muslims
23 May 2019
More Muslims have turned to Jesus in the last fifteen years than in the previous 1,400. God loves all, and wants all to hear and understand the message ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ (John 14:6) Although more Muslims have turned to Jesus in recent years, another 1.8 billion are still living without a saving relationship with him. Middle East news dominates our headlines, while behind the scenes Muslims are fasting and praying throughout Ramadan. Please continue to intercede for them this month as they fast and seek God. Pray for supernatural dreams and visions that open doors to salvation. Many prayer diaries have been produced to aid intercession. For example Iran 30 helps Christians play a part in proclaiming Christ to Iranians with thirty short, easy to read sections explaining the activity where God is building His Church behind the scenes. See
Bahrain: Trump’s summit (25-26 June)
23 May 2019
Donald Trump’s ‘Peace to Prosperity’ summit in Bahrain will mark the first phase of the roll-out of US plans for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But a Palestinian Authority spokesman has said that they will not be sending a representative. Some reports indicate that private Palestinian representatives will attend. Bahrain and the United States are hosting the economic leadership ‘workshop’ to share ideas, discuss strategies, and galvanise support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by the upcoming US peace agreement. Although the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are sending delegations to participate, the spokesman said that any Palestinian who takes part will be nothing but a collaborator for the Americans and Israel.
Iran: more Christians jailed for their faith
23 May 2019
A sentence has been upheld against Christians Saheb Fadaie and Fatemeh Bakhteri for ‘spreading propaganda against the regime’. Fadaie also received an additional two years in exile in a remote area near Afghanistan. They were accused of attacking Islam by discussing Christian doctrine in house churches. During their final appeal they were asked to renounce their faith by two judges who have previously been accused of human rights violations. Fadaie is already serving a ten-year sentence in Tehran's Evin prison, following a previous arrest with fellow-members of the Church of Iran. CSW says the sentences constitute a grave violation of Iran's constitutional and international legal obligations, and illustrate the campaign of excessive repression against Christians for practising their faith either in private or in community with others. Pray for Iranian Christians jailed for their faith. Most are bullied to divulge information about their house-church activities and their friends.