Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran’s nuclear programme chief, said on 29 October that Iran can begin producing weapons-grade nuclear material quickly if the nuclear deal with foreign powers fails, and insisted that international inspectors would not be given access to Iranian military sites. In early October President Trump told the world, ‘Iran is not in compliance with the deal, and it needs to be renegotiated even though our allies, and even our enemies, do not agree.’ Mr Trump said that the agreement had not curbed Iran’s missile programme and destabilising activities in the Middle East. Mr Salehi said that, although Tehran prefers to keep the agreement intact, they could quickly ramp up uranium enrichment to produce 20% enriched uranium in four days. He made these comments after meeting the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano. Mr Amano also met President Rouhani and foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. See

Jordan is a destination for women and men from south and southeast Asia for the purpose of forced labour. There have also been reports of women from Morocco and Tunisia being subjected to forced prostitution after coming to work in restaurants and night clubs. Women from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines migrate willingly to work as domestic servants, but some are subjected to conditions of forced labour, including restrictions on movement, withholding of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse. $90 is the average cost of a human slave. Pray for Malays and others from different nationalities who get trapped into forced labour. Pray for God to open the eyes of the world to this enormous issue that is happening in Jordan and the surrounding countries.

42 million people is more than the entire population of Iraq. Abortion is not just confined to one region or people group. It is a global tragedy, with roughly 83% of all abortions taking place in developing countries and 17% in the developed world. It is being called the silent Holocaust. This year’s ‘40 Days for Life’ campaign finishes on Sunday 5 November.

Six house church leaders were released on 16-17 October, after being detained for a month on false charges that they had forced Hindus to convert to Christianity. The five men and one woman rejoiced that during their time in jail they were able to share the gospel with fellow prisoners. The arrests occurred soon after state officials in Jharkhand passed the strictest anti-conversion law in India. Local Christians fear increased persecution as a result of the new law. Pray that the six church leaders will continue their work and use their testimony to share the gospel with boldness.

A church leader in Mali reports, ‘Our churches and chapels are now being targeted by extremists, who have told Christians not to gather to pray’. In September and October, extremists ransacked and burned several churches in Mopti region. One congregation who were driven out of the building were told they would be killed if they were seen praying. In 2012, Tuareg separatists and Islamist groups linked to Al Qaeda seized control of northern Mali and declared the region an Islamic state. The new regime imposed sharia law in Timbuktu, including punishments such as amputations for theft. France deployed soldiers to assist the government against advancing Islamists, and a UN force of 13,000 military personnel is now stationed there. Violence continues despite a peace deal with rebel groups. In the first half of 2017 over 42,000 civilians joined those already internally displaced in Mali.

For three weeks in November, a team will be traveling along the refugee trail through Europe. They will be posting first-hand stories and sharing from their experiences as they travel from Greece to Northern Europe. They hope that their account of travelling alongside the refugees will inform us all how to pray more specifically and continue to advocate for the Syrians and other peoples from the Levant region. People can follow along, through the stories they will post online and pray with up-to-date insights by clicking on the ‘More’ link. Syria remains a nation in devastation as war and violence continues.

Marilyn, a 16-year-old Coptic Christian girl kidnapped on 28 June to be ‘converted to Islam, then married off or sold’, was released and returned to her family on 30 September after police found her in a city just outside Cairo. The city, named 10th of Ramadan, is several hundred kilometres from her village. Her village priest, Father Boutros Khalaf, found out where she was being held and notified the local police. They managed to arrest her kidnappers, Taha and his brother Gaber, and released Marilyn. She was returned to her family after 92 days. This was one of a series of kidnappings by Islamist networks. Pray that the other victims will be safely restored to their families.

‘There is no one, no life, no story that is beyond God’s power to love and transform’, writes Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, in his foreword to the book ‘40 Stories of Hope’. The book was launched at Lambeth Palace at a gathering of prison chaplains and prison volunteers. Catherine Butcher compiled the book with Pastor Osien Sibanda, who contributes some stories drawn from his work in Bristol Prison. The book contains forty different stories of faith and hope from prisoners, prison chaplains, and ex-prisoners. These remarkable testimonies speak powerfully about life-changing encounters with Jesus. Readers can explore how we can all find hope in Jesus, no matter who we are. Prison chaplains will be giving copies of this book to inmates along with forty daily readings and prayers, and group sessions which can also be used.

Isaiah 55:1: this ancient invitation to God’s people to feast on God’s word and His promises at a time of national despair, continues to echo even today as we frantically consume perishable goods in vain. Let us be bold to draw people to the life-giving nourishment of the Scriptures, so that the deeper longings and thirst for life can be fully satisfied.

(Oldi Morava, Bible Society)

An online poll conducted by the Observer found that British voters would back a no-deal Brexit rather than another referendum on EU membership. People are now more pessimistic about the process than optimistic. In the poll, 54% agreed that ‘Brexit is a good idea in theory, but is being badly executed’. Pray for clarity, not confusion in Whitehall; pray for an end to disagreements within the Cabinet and disarray amongst backbenchers. Ask God to replace uncertainty in our politics with a double portion of wisdom and the firmness that comes from being in His will and fulfilling His purposes. May this be communicated not only to our nation but to the other EU nations with whom we are trying to negotiate an exit treaty.