In May, Amnesty International said the US government must stop separating asylum-seeking parents from their children and denying them access to asylum procedures through prolonged detention when they present themselves at the US-Mexico border. On 20 June Donald Trump ended this policy, following days of public outrage. Many asylum-seekers are fleeing violent countries which abuse human rights (such as Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala). They usually cross Mexico in caravans, as travelling in a group is safer in dangerous places. Although Trump seeks to brand them as criminals, it is not a crime to seek asylum at official border posts. Recently members of a caravan and their representatives marched through the streets of Tijuana to the border crossing point saying, ‘We are not criminals, we are the hope of Latin America’.

In order to thwart attempts by terrorists to tunnel from Gaza into Israel, the Israeli government has an underground wall along the border. On 18 June, Gaza terrorists blew themselves up trying to destroy the underground barrier. The incident occurred after an escalation of rocket fire and firebomb-laden kites and balloons sent from Gaza into southern Israel. Defence minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that Israel would not allow Gazans to continue launching incendiary devices into Israeli territory, which have caused hundreds of brush fires and burned thousands of acres of land. ‘If anyone thinks it will be possible to continue with the daily kites and fires, they are wrong,’ Lieberman said. Meanwhile housing minister Yoav Galant said, ‘When an eight-year-old boy flies a kite strapped with a firebomb because someone told him to, it is problematic to send a drone to shoot him dead.’

North Koreans were betrayed by the failure of US president Donald Trump to include human rights provisions in his agreement with Kim Jong-un at their meeting in Singapore, according to Human Rights Watch. Trump told the BBC World Service, ‘The North Korean people have suffered for so long - and it looks like they’ll have to suffer for a little longer.’ Responding to a question about whether North Korea’s oppression of its people was worse than any other regime on earth, he said, ‘It’s a rough situation over there; there’s no question about it, and we did discuss it today pretty strongly.’ Elsewhere, when asked if he discussed human rights, he said they did, ‘relatively briefly.’ See

The World Cup,from 14 June to 15 July, provides an amazing opportunity for Christians to reach sports people in their local areas through putting on events like a sports quiz or a five-a-side tournament. Christians in Sport have partnered with Scripture Union to provide resources to be used in sports clubs, churches or schools. They have also created a short film, ‘The Greatest Event in the World’, to show at events or share on social media. The film looks at the wonder of the World Cup and compares it to what is an even greater story - that of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

You recently prayed for a change in visa rules regarding trained medical staff because they were not working in the best interests of NHS patients. The Home Office has now decided that foreign doctors and nurses will be excluded from the government's visa cap. This will be a huge relief for NHS trusts across the country, which have been really struggling to fill their doctor and nurse vacancies. Some believe that Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s latest move could indicate a new direction for immigration policy post-Brexit.

On the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower disaster, many survivors describe their inability to forgive and their need to find someone to blame. In the midst of darkness and sorrow Ray’s story stands out. He welcomed seven of his neighbours into his top-floor flat, offering refuge while awaiting rescue. Later it was found that they had sat on his bed, while Ray sat on the floor at their feet. In an inquiry full of sadness and grief, we heard Ray's family describe him as a hero. His actions that night reflect a love that is so often absent from our society. He welcomed his neighbours into his home and gave them a space on his bed as they took their final breath. Ray loved his neighbours as himself.

Maqsood Bakhsh, a Christian, who has sought asylum in the UK for six years, has appealed to the Prime Minister to allow him to stay, fearing that he and his family face death if they return to Pakistan. He fled Pakistan with his wife Parveen and their sons Somer and Areebs, after Islamic extremists threatened to kill him because of his faith. The catalyst was the murder of two Christians shot outside a court, while in police custody. Pastor Rashid Emmanuel and Sajid had been accused of writing a pamphlet critical of the Prophet Muhammad. Those responsible for the murders believe Maqsood was in league with them, and will kill him and his family if they have the chance. The Home Office has repeatedly rejected their asylum applications. They have no right to appeal, but plan to launch a legal challenge.

300 human rights organisations, including several Christian charities, sent a joint letter to North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un, urging him to make lasting improvements to his country’s dire human rights situation. The charities welcome increased dialogue with other countries, but state that they have yet to see actions on the part of the government ‘that would signal clear improvements in the lives of citizens or their basic rights and freedoms’. The letter urges Kim to increase engagement with international human rights systems, end abuses in detention and prisons, establish regular meetings for separated families of foreign nationals with relatives in North Korea, and accept international humanitarian aid with appropriate monitoring to ensure it reaches needy people and communities. Pray for the families of those executed or in labour camps; ask God to bless and protect North Korean Christians who face daily terror as they live out their faith. See also the article in the World section.

Over a two-day debate MPs reversed or partially reversed 14 defeats on the EU withdrawal bill in the House of Lords. However, Teresa May only averted defeat on an amendment to give the Commons a ‘meaningful vote’ on Brexit by promising to rewrite the legislation in accordance with proposals drawn up by Tory rebel Dominic Grieve. At the time of writing the row is not fully defused, and further rebellion next week seems quite possible. Rebels want to force the Government to prioritise single market access in the final Brexit deal. Theresa May said the Government’s own amendment could not allow MPs to bind its hands or open it up to the risk that Brexit could be reversed. She intends not to allow parliament to overturn the will of the British people. She said, ‘Parliament gave the decision to the British people, the British people voted to leave the European Union, and as Prime Minister I am determined to deliver that.’

(From a Prophecy Today blog) Today, if speech does not conform to secular social mores of ‘tolerance’, ‘diversity’ and ‘equality’, then it becomes ‘hate speech’. In today’s politically correct environment, what we can and can’t say is increasingly regulated - we even censor ourselves for fear of offending some ‘victim’ groups which are given a higher status, deserving special consideration, and placed beyond criticism. Designation of victim groups, undoubtedly well-meant to rid society of prejudice by positively discriminating in favour of ‘victims’, is turning genuine justice on its head. Women’s rights are championed. Men’s rights are unheard of. LGBT rights are promoted over and above those of heterosexuals. Many ‘virtuous’ causes promote immoral living, false religions and the destruction of the family - while Godly living and thinking is ostracised. Pray for a reversal of society’s revolt against Biblical truth, rebellion against God, and the shying away from declaring His truth in public.