Christian Concern's Director of Islamic Affairs reported that prison imams are distributing extremist literature to prisoners. This follows various recent reports of radicalisation from hard-line Islamists in a number of UK prisons. He emphasised the need for major changes to prevent imams from routinely distributing extremist pamphlets and CDs which encourage the murder of apostates and ‘contempt for basic British values’, which are freely available at more than ten prisons. There are around 200 full-time and part-time Muslim chaplains working in jails; 70% of them were taught at Deobandi institutions (a branch of Islam with known links to extremism). 80% of all British imams are Deobandi-trained, and over 40% of British mosques Deobandi-controlled.

Germany’s intercessors are taking an interest in the UK referendum. Their May prayer letter says, ‘Thank you for all your support in prayer for the European Union of Prayer meeting in The Hague in Holland in April. It was a great success! Prayer topics were Israel, and also the UK referendum on EU membership and the consequences for the EU’. The letter also says, amongst other things, that Christians from Europe are taking part in 40 days of prayer and fasting through the European Union of Prayer. They are asking God to protect and preserve His great gift of peace and freedom for Europe (Isaiah 26:3-4) and for a clear majority in the UK referendum on EU membership on 23 June (Psalm 33:13-15). See

Beijing ‘strongly opposes’ the European Union making irresponsible accusations about Hong Kong affairs, and ‘warns foreign governments not to interfere in the city’s affairs’. Hua Chunying, from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, made these remarks at a press conference a day after the European Union released a highly critical annual report on Hong Kong. The report described the case of five booksellers who were abducted last year and later surfaced on the mainland as ‘the most serious challenge’ to the governing principle since the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty, and warned it could undermine Hong Kong’s standing as an international business centre. Christians in China continue to face persecution because the Party wants to control all activities deemed to be a threat to the officially atheist government. See

After last year’s horrific earthquake, Nepal's Christian community have been demonstrating the love of God. Many Christians started helping people, and now those people, mainly Hindus and Buddhists, are testifying, 'Your religion is the best because you love and care for us, and you come to help us.’ Various Christian ministries are now active in the overall rehabilitation phase. Their focus will be rebuilding schools, community halls and livelihood programmes for the communities and individual families. While physical recovery is slow, spiritual growth and recovery has been strong. Churches are being planted in the mountains and hills. The pastors say that because of the assistance CBN, Compassionate Hands and the church have provided to victims, the local community is working to protect and build the church. These are challenging times in Nepal, but it is the right time for God’s kingdom to be established there.

Water levels in Vietnam’s Mekong delta, a region that accounts for 50% of the country's rice and fruit production, 90% of its rice exports and 60% of shrimp and fish exports, are at their lowest levels since 1926. This affects the lives of the Vietnamese farmers and it affects people in Indonesia and the Philippines, the biggest buyers of Vietnamese agricultural goods. They will also go hungry if the Thais and Vietnamese don't produce enough rice. In India more than 150 deaths are blamed on the heat. Maharashtra is experiencing the worst dry spell in four decades, destroying crops, causing livestock deaths and drying up reservoirs. In Malaysia, hundreds of schools have closed and farmers are losing their vegetables. In Thailand, a record low rice yield is predicted. Unfortunately the heat will increase in the coming weeks and the death toll is expected to rise. See: http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/1939522/vietnam-being-crippled-its-worst-drought-nearly-century

The Queensland government has ignored community concerns surrounding the controversial Safe Schools programme, refusing to release the names of schools that are teaching children that their gender is fluid. The media is reporting an increased focus on sexualising children from four years old by programmes devised by La Trobe University, which is also behind the Practical Guide to Love, Sex and Relationships which asks students as young as 12 graphic sex and masturbation questions. Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) said that the Federal Government should immediately defund and pull the programme out of schools as Queensland and other states ignore the Federal Government’s directive to clean up the programme and ensure parents are made aware of which schools are participating in it. ACL was refused access to the names of the schools, despite over 11,000 Queenslanders signing an e-petition calling for them to be released.

On Sunday night, in Enugu State, an attack by more than two hundred suspected armed Fulani herdsmen left at least 48 people dead. Scores of people were critically wounded, and sixty houses and two churches completely razed to the ground. 56 people with gunshot wounds were taken to different hospitals. The state police confirmed the attack but cannot give an exact figure of people killed: however, the police and security agencies have been mobilised to curtail the situation so that it does not degenerate into all-out war. The attackers were armed with AK-47 rifles and grenades, bows and arrows, and machetes or swords. Many villagers escaped to neighbouring communities, but people in nearby towns are also worried about possible attacks from the herdsmen. Sources disclosed that the villagers had resisted the use of their farmlands as grazing fields by the herdsmen.

At least fourteen patients and three doctors were killed on Thursday in an airstrike on a hospital in Aleppo, the charity Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says. Among those killed in the al-Quds hospital was one of the city's last paediatricians. Local sources blamed the Syrian government or Russian warplanes, but there has been no official comment. Violence in Syria has intensified recently, despite a truce. The violent upsurge comes amid reports that the Syrian army, backed by Russian air power, is gearing up for a major offensive in Aleppo. The escalation threatens to derail the peace talks. On Wednesday, the UN envoy to Syria urged the US and Russia to intervene ‘at the highest level’ to save the talks. On Tuesday an Iraqi military officer reported that Russia is resuming bombing moderate opposition fighters in Syria. President Obama called President Putin, asking him to help ‘press’ Syria to end its airstrikes that violate the ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia in February.

Earlier this month 13-year-old Anthonius Farag, a young Christian boy, was kidnapped in Upper Egypt. He was released twelve days later after a hefty ransom payment. This is not an isolated case. According to the Coalition of Coptic Egypt (CCE), a Coptic advocacy group, the province of Qena alone saw no less than 72 cases of kidnappings, extortion and related violence against Copts from 2011 to 2014, the most recent figures available. Those targeted for kidnapping ranged from children to the elderly, with rescue efforts often hampered by police inadequacies or unwillingness. ‘For years Copts have been pleading for help against kidnappings, but no one seems to care,’ said a local CCE coordinator. ‘Since the revolution in 2011 kidnappings have become more common in Upper Egypt, where relatively more Christians live. Families pay from EGP 250,000 to seven million to free their loved ones.’

The four main culprits accused of the murder of Christian couple Shahzad Masih and Shama Bibi, who were tortured and thrown into a burning brick kiln last November, have been set free on bail. This decision suggests complicity by the police, and does not help to establish justice. The Christian couple were said to have 'desecrated the Quran’: blasphemy is a very sensitive issue, with allegations often prompting mob violence (as they did this time). . However they were indentured labourers at the kiln, and one of those charged with their death is the owner. Brick kiln labourers have harsh working conditions and are paid approximately £1.30 a day. Child labour is common. 1.7million children from the age of five work in illegal brick factories 14 hours a day.