France: terror plot near Notre Dame
09 Sep 2016
On Saturday an abandoned car with no registration plates containing six gas cylinders and a book with Arabic writing was found near Notre Dame Cathedral, sparking an investigation into a possible new Paris terror plot. Police have arrested two women who were ‘known to security services’, but it was unclear whether the couple were on France’s ‘Fiche S’ list of terror suspects.
Israel: ‘risk of civil war’
09 Sep 2016
‘Israeli society is heading for civil war and the country must take steps to counter it’, former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo stated last week, in his first public remarks since stepping down as the spy agency director in January. ‘The internal threat must worry us more than the external threat,’ he told a press conference. ‘If a divided society goes beyond a certain point, you have, in extreme circumstances, a phenomenon like civil war. To my regret, the distance to that point is shrinking. I fear that we are going in that direction.’ Pardo said. He added that there was more to unite than divide but some in Israel sought the intensity that came with division, and ‘there are some for whom it’s comfortable to emphasise that which divides and not that which unites. I can’t put my finger on a group or a leader. It exists within all the country’s groups.’
Asia: pastoral training
09 Sep 2016
Many would be surprised if they discovered their pastor had very little knowledge or understanding of the Bible and didn’t even own a concordance or Bible dictionary - yet that is the situation in many parts of Asia. ‘They don’t have the tools we take for granted,’ says Jim Davis, founder and international director of Pastoral Training of Asia (PTA). Davis was a Calvary Chapel pastor in California for 13 years before he went overseas in 1987. Recognising a tremendous pastoral training need, he started PTA, which has a special burden for the Karen people along the Myanmar-Thailand border. ‘Many of them are Anglican priests without much theology other than the catechism and their prayer book,’ he says. ‘They don’t have Bible dictionaries, commentaries or computers with Bible software. They’re already pastors, so they can’t drop everything and attend Bible school. The answer is to take training materials to them. Asia has the largest population in the world and the smallest percentage of pastors, missionaries and Christian workers’.
Hajj starts today
09 Sep 2016
Today begins the life-long aspiration and spiritual climax for one-fifth of the world - the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam. Every Muslim who can afford it is required to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Islam, at least once. Pilgrims will perform sacred rituals, following the steps of Muhammad, seeking forgiveness of sins and a chance of eternal life. Jesus loves Muslims and died for them and the Hajj is an incredible opportunity for Jesus to reveal Himself to seeking pilgrims. Our prayers during this crucial time could change someone's eternity. Millions are seeking forgiveness and eternal life from a god who cannot hear and will not answer. While increasing millions are turning to Muhammad instead of Christ, Jesus continues to reveal himself lovingly to seeking hearts. Pray for Muslims to encounter him through visions, dreams and faithful witnesses. Pray for all efforts to silence the Gospel to propel it across the Muslim world instead.
North Korea: nuclear weapons and lies
09 Sep 2016
The official North Korean news agency, KCNA, said that the leader wants the nation to ‘continue making miraculous achievements in bolstering the nuclear force’. The statement came after test-firing three missiles into the sea on Monday as world leaders met for the G20 summit in China. The missiles had a range of 620 miles and were fired without navigational warning to Japan. More worryingly, today it was announced that a fifth nuclear test had been successful. Meanwhile North Korean defectors are sending pamphlets and DVDs in balloons over the barbed-wire border from South Korea to North Korea. These defectors are hoping to inspire others to make the same dangerous journey to the South. One said, 'How could our country, North Korea, lie to us so completely?' See:
Turkey: increased assault on media
09 Sep 2016
The attempted military coup has opened a new chapter in Turkey’s history, with collective demonisation and punishment of the Gulen community and the media. Reporters Without Borders say Turkey is now ‘world leader in imprisoned journalists’. Although the Gulen community has a darker side, many are innocent people being persecuted. Journalists are harassed, accused of 'insulting the president' and the Internet is systematically censored. The war in Syria and Turkey’s offensive against the PKK is exacerbating media, which are also accused of terrorism. The media and civil society are nonetheless resisting President Erdogan’s growing authoritarianism. On 30 August, historically celebrated as ‘Holiday of Victory’, there were no celebrations or parades, reflecting the grim and tense mood of a society dominated by accusation and purge. Instead, the holiday ushered in another round of crackdowns on prominent journalists for alleged ties to the Gulenist movement.
USA: early voting, Russia, and Trump
09 Sep 2016
Early postal voting has started in key US states where minority voters and young adults casting ballots in advance could give a contender an advantage. Mail-in ballots could be 75% of votes in key states. Donald Trump’s chances may hinge on Hispanics, blacks and first-time voters who usually cast ballots early. Elsewhere, in Russia, Philipp Kirkorov, called Russia's Michael Jackson by Trump, is publicly expounding his virtues. The two men have known each other for more than 20 years. Kirkorov has performed at Trump's casino in Atlantic City. Trump is very often a guest of Russia, and is said to love Russia and Russians. Kirkorov said. ‘If Trump is President, the relationship between our countries will be much closer. We are two big nations. We must be friends.’ In July Trump said it would be good if America got along with Russia, hinted he would consider recognising Crimea as part of Russia, and suggested lifting sanctions. See
2,000 pounds of cocaine seized
09 Sep 2016
A seizure of nearly 2,000 pounds of cocaine was the result of a joint international investigation that started in April. Spanish authorities became aware of a global group using maritime delivery containers to import cocaine from South America, using a professional fruit firm within the southern metropolis of Sevilla as cover. The use of these containers illustrates the recent changes in the ways traffickers have undertaken to move drugs across continents. Since 2006, maritime seizures that contain drugs have risen six-fold, with a very steep increase since 2010. Concealing contraband inside shipments of perishable items is a typical tactic as there are procedures to permit these to go through ports extra rapidly. This tactic is common among traffickers in North America because pungent odours from perishable items will mask drug odours and deter inquisitive customs officials.