On 30 July, thousands will come together to draw attention to the horrific crime of human trafficking. IJM has partnered with singer-songwriter Roo Panes to release a powerful music video to raise awareness of the brutal reality of human trafficking, and to inspire individuals to get involved and take a part in ending it. Awareness is a vital first step in ending trafficking, and it is hoped this video will reach thousands, or even millions, as people share about it on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag #Warrior and #EndTrafficking and tagging @IJMUK. Everyone who wants to make a stand against trafficking is invited to find the film at: www.ijmuk.org/Warrior or on Roo Panes' YouTube. Nothing happens if people are unaware of the need: when we are aware of modern slavery, still nothing happens, unless we do something.

The European Commission has said that free ports, the Singapore-style tax-free zones favoured by Boris Johnson, are ‘potentially vulnerable to money-laundering and financing terrorism’ in the European single market. Free ports are ‘the new emerging threat’, said the European justice commissioner, Věra Jourová. ‘This is something we want to focus on more.’ Prime Minister Johnson says he wants ‘about six’ tax-free zones in ports as part of his vision for the UK after Brexit. He has yet to give details on their size and location. EU countries and their dependencies already shelter 80+ free ports, including one on the Isle of Man, a British crown dependency which is neither in the EU nor the UK. The commission’s report warned that the EU has ‘a structural problem’ in preventing the financial system from being used by criminals.

Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg delivered an address to lawmakers at France’s national assembly. But some right-wing MPs chose to stay away, saying that to fight climate change ‘we need scientific progress and political courage, not apocalyptic gurus’, and ‘Don't count on me to applaud a prophetess in shorts, a Nobel Prize for Fear.’ Greta noted that some lawmakers had not attended and said, ‘That's fine. We are, after all, just children. You don't have to listen to us. But you do have to listen to the scientists, unite behind the science.’ On 25 July, she released a music track calling for civil disobedience while ambient instrumentals provided background music that would appeal to teens. See

On 24 July Shin Bet (the Israeli security agency) reported that Iran has been trying to recruit a wide network of agents in Israel via social networking sites. A joint Shin Bet / police / IDF statement said that their counter-terrorism operation has ‘foiled a recruiting network across Israel and the West Bank for the benefit of Iranian intelligence’. The recruits were asked to gather information on military bases, sensitive security installations, personnel, police stations, hospitals, and more intended targets for terrorist attacks by Iran. While the network was directed by Iran, it operated from Syria and was led by an individual known as Abu-Jihad, who contacted people by creating fictitious Facebook profiles and then speaking with them through messaging applications. In recent months, several other similar operations by Hezbollah and Hamas have been foiled by Israeli security agencies.