South Africa: polluted political power
09 Feb 2018
Since the end of apartheid the African National Congress (ANC) has dominated South African politics. The people struggle with 30% unemployment, 55% live below the poverty line, and the 75-year-old president faces serious corruption charges. Amid calls for him to resign, Zuma still has many supporters, including two of the six ANC leaders even though he is no longer the party leader. He is widely blamed for the corruption, misrule and economic stagnation that now afflict the nation. Charges of corruption - always vehemently denied - appear to be catching up with him. Zuma refuses to step down, but opposition parties are discussing the possibility of taking to the streets on 22 February‚ the day of a no confidence vote in parliament.
Turkish offensive on Afrin
09 Feb 2018
On 20 January, Turkey launched an air and ground offensive against the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces in Afrin, on the Syrian/Turkish border. The action has revealed a well-defined split in the Syrian public between supporters and opponents of the operation of daily bombing by troops, tanks, artillery and war planes. Some Syrians support this action as it could provide an opportunity for them to return home; others fear Turkey’s intentions are far from noble. Hundreds have died. 400,000 Kurds are sheltering in Afrin, and no one can enter or leave the area. Many believers are sheltering in churches. See also
Syria still using banned chemical weapons
09 Feb 2018
Amnesty International says that testimony gathered from the scene showed evidence that on 4 February the Syrian government used internationally-banned chemical weapons on the town of Saraqib. It accuses the Assad regime of showing ‘utter contempt’ for international law. The next day the UN Security Council failed to agree on a US-proposed statement condemning the continued use of chemical weapons in Syria. Russia was blamed by some diplomats for this failure. On 6 February, another chemical attack is reported to have targeted Afrin. An eyewitness reported, ‘Russian airplanes have not left the skies of East Ghouta. I watched missiles that look like they were made locally, carrying chemicals targeting civilians specifically in Douma. The fear is difficult to comprehend. Women and children are running in chaos. Injured are everywhere with blood all over. It is a civilian massacre. The airplanes come back to target the rescuers attending the wounded.’
The North Korean missile crisis must be turned into a rallying cry for prayer for persecuted Christians in that country, says Release International, which supports Christians under pressure around the world. North Korea brought forward its annual display of military might to 8 February ahead of the Winter Olympics in South Korea. The muscle-flexing has been described as grandstanding in a crisis that could threaten nuclear war - but many believe the crisis should be turned into a rallying cry for prayer for the persecuted. North Korea is probably the harshest persecutor of Christians on the face of the earth.
Maldives: flashpoint in Indo-Chinese rivalry
09 Feb 2018
A power struggle in the Maldives is taking centre stage in a battle for regional influence between India and China. Maldives President Yameen declared a state of emergency after the supreme court ordered him to free political prisoners and opposition politicians he jailed. Security forces then stormed the court and arrested two judges and a former leader. The remaining judges annulled a previous ruling. It is being called an assault on democracy. The political drama sparked concern in India, which issued a strong statement saying it is imperative for the government to adhere to a free trade agreement it made with the Maldives. India views China as a geopolitical foe in Asia and is pushing to maintain geo-strategic supremacy in the Indian Ocean, with backing from the US and Japan. Meanwhile, it has expanded its influence by building ports in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Djibouti (now home to its first overseas military base). See also
US prison conditions and British hacker
09 Feb 2018
A British appeals court rejected demands from America for the extradition of British hacker Lauri Love, citing the inability of US prisons to treat his medical and mental health ailments humanely and adequately. The court ruled that extradition to the US would be ‘oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition’. Lauri has severe depression, Asperger’s syndrome, asthma, and eczema that has incapacitated him for years, causing him to drop out of colleges despite very high intellectual capability. If extradited, he would have faced solitary confinement and a 99-year prison sentence. American prisons are woefully inadequate to treat his ailments. Incarceration would produce a high risk of suicide. This case highlights the fact that the US prison system has a cruel and abusive attitude when it comes to treating inmates with mental health problems.
‘The Turning’ grows
02 Feb 2018
In May 2016 a two-week mission began in Reading. On the first day 80+ people accepted the invitation to pray to Jesus. Many more heard that God had an awesome plan for them and allowed a church member to pray a blessing over their life. On 8 June, Reading Christian Network affirmed that something extraordinary was happening. After ten days over 720 people had prayed on the streets of Reading, the mission was extended, and The Turning was born. It is now becoming a phenomenon - a gift from heaven that empowers ordinary Christians to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. What started in a Baptist Church is not just for one Church or even one town. The Turning leaders are considering the possibility of reaching three million people across Europe within five years. There will be a national day of prayer and worship at City Gates Church, IG1 1BH on Wednesday 21 February, to launch ‘Turning’ in London. See
Christianity’s astonishing growth in Nepal
02 Feb 2018
Intercessors have been praying for God’s Kingdom to grow in Hindu-dominant Nepal. Although proselytising has been banned in the country for decades, the church has exploded! Recent reports state that Nepali Christians are now one of the fastest-growing Christian communities in the world! After the 2015 earthquake, Christian groups gave aid to needy Nepalis, and were some of the first and most sustained groups to help. This growth has not come without a price. To curb it, the government will introduce a new criminal code in August, increasing jail sentences for proselytising from three to five years. Convicted foreigners will be deported after serving their time.