‘Pray for me', says Aasia Bibi
26 Oct 2018
Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman on death row in Pakistan, has urged Christians in the UK to pray for her. The message was conveyed by her husband Ashiq, who has travelled to the UK to highlight her plight. He said to Premier, ‘She told me that the community must remember her in their prayers because this is an international country. I need international pressure for the release of Aasia Bibi.’ He said her incarceration since 2009 has spelt nine years of suffering for the whole family. He added, ‘She always has said that Jesus is her life and she is living in the name of Jesus, and trusting that he will help her.’ For further information about Aasia’s case, see
New housing and ‘car dependency'
26 Oct 2018
The scramble to build new homes in England is producing large housing estates which are being built next to bypasses and link roads. There are no shops, no pub, no doctor, no school, no church, and no jobs; they are too far out of town to walk or cycle, and they lack good local buses. Car travel is the only option. Researchers from a new green group, Transport for New Homes, backed by the RAC Foundation, visited over twenty new housing estates across England and said, ‘We were appalled to find so many new housing developments built around the car, with residents driving for almost every journey. Those cars head for towns and cities clogging up existing roads. Commuter times get longer and longer. Car-based living of this kind is not good for our health or quality of life.’ Also in some estates there is nowhere to park in front of houses, so owners have to park on pavements.
Budget Day (29 October) - relevant facts
26 Oct 2018
Wages are rising and unemployment rates are at their lowest for more than 40 years, so these should be boom times for young people. However, rising rents, bills and living expenses mean that one in five aged 25-34 will spend over 60% of their pay on payday. A further 3% find themselves in the red. Meanwhile, house prices in England have risen by 173% over the last 20 years, and around a quarter of 20-34-year-olds still live with their parents - with slim chances of owning a home any time soon. Those living in rented accommodation find high rents eating up income, making it impossible to save for a deposit on a home. Pray for Philip Hammond as he prepares next week’s budget. May the undetonated timebomb of Brexit have no adverse influence on his proposals, and may they give opportunities for economic growth and prosperity for young and old alike in the nation’s future.
Brexit border stalemate
26 Oct 2018
Karen Bradley, the Northern Ireland secretary, was challenged by British and Irish parliamentarians on the potential for violence if Brexit allowed any physical infrastructure to return to the Irish border. Senator Frank Feighan said that the people of Ireland would tear it down with their own hands, adding, ‘That’s what’s coming from the people on the ground, not from me’. In December 2017, both sides agreed to a ‘backstop’ position to avoid a hard border if a wider trade deal failed to be struck. Negotiators are now unable to translate this backstop decision into a legally binding commitment. Ms Bradley also expressed the opinion that if there were a second referendum, the vote to Leave would be even stronger.
Polish election result
26 Oct 2018
Poland's electoral officials have reported that a pro-European Union opposition party has defeated the ruling conservatives in local elections in Warsaw. The 21 October national elections were a popularity test for the conservatives, whose policies have drawn street protests and prompted clashes with EU leaders. The regional elections decide the makeup of local governments and regional parliaments, including several mayoral races. These elections possibly foreshadow legislative and European elections in 2019.
Norway: NATO war games
26 Oct 2018
NATO has launched its biggest military exercises since the end of the Cold War, amid rising tensions with Russia. About 50,000 soldiers from 31 countries are taking part in a mock battle in Norway, against an invading force named Trident Juncture 18. The battle is scheduled to run until 7 November. NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said the drills would send a clear message to ‘any potential adversary’. Washington is contributing the biggest contingent of troops to the exercises, which are taking place just weeks after Russia staged its own largest-ever military drills.
India: trafficking and the Kerala floods
25 Oct 2018
Huge monsoon floods have left hundreds dead and millions displaced in the southern state of Kerala. In the turmoil following a disaster of this magnitude, millions of people have lost everything and are now vulnerable to human trafficking unless they can be protected. Soon after the massive floods began, International Justice Mission started working with the Kerala chief minister’s office and senior law enforcement officials on a robust, six-month anti-trafficking project to help local officials protect the most vulnerable. They initiated a top-down human trafficking intervention called Surakshita Keralam (Safe Kerala), and have now trained over 650 local government officials on how to spot signs of human trafficking and assist families in need. The next phase will be to monitor local officials’ efforts to do assessments of flood-affected communities, find those at risk, and develop plans for their long-term protection. Pray for God to bring success to all aspects of these rehabilitation initiatives.
Indonesia: Christians sing despite devastation
25 Oct 2018
As Open Doors workers walked through a village in Indonesia, surrounded by the rubble and destruction left behind by the recent earthquake, they could hear voices singing ‘Hallelujah’. Coming round the corner they found a group of believers standing under a tent, singing their praises to God. It is incredible to see the faith of our brothers and sisters in Indonesia, even in the midst of the most difficult circumstances. The death toll following the recent earthquake and tsunami has now exceeded 2,000, and many thousands more have been left homeless, their houses destroyed. On top of that, Christians face discrimination because of their faith as aid is distributed. A Muslim-majority village is located next to a Christian-majority one. But when military tents and other relief aid were sent to the victims, only a small amount of instant noodles were given to the Christians. Discrimination is widespread.