On 31 July a Hamas-affiliated TV station was shut down, and the four Palestinians operating it were arrested. Israel had said Al-Quds TV was a terror organisation, and the four suspects are charged with incitement to terrorism as the station was a Hamas mouthpiece. One of the driving forces behind Palestinian aggression is incitement by clergy and Palestinian leadership through its state and local media. Israel is now shutting down all Palestinian media outlets and publications that incite against Israelis and promote terror attacks. The Hamas student groups in Hebron universities were also raided and incitement materials were confiscated. The students’ families were given a warning and told to stay away from terrorism. Twenty wanted Palestinians were arrested.

Under the terms of a 1974 UN armistice that demilitarised much of the Golan, Israel withdrew from the capital of Quneitra province which it had captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Now, backed by Russian aircraft, Syrian pro-Assad regime forces pushed into the Golan border area and raised the Syrian flag and President al-Assad’s Baath Party flag in Quneitra on the 26 July. They are tightening their hold on the strategic Syrian sector of the Golan Heights bordering Israel and Jordan, and have been pushing into Quneitra province since their May offensive that routed rebels in adjoining Deraa province (rebels once backed by Washington, Jordan and Gulf states). The Russians reached a deal with the remaining rebels, which effectively brings the whole of the border frontier under Syrian state control.

Pakistan plans to seek its largest ever bailout from the IMF as Imran Khan takes office. The loan is to resolve the country’s escalating foreign reserves crisis. However a loan would see IMF impose restrictions on public spending, making it difficult for Khan to fulfil election promises. One government adviser said, ‘We can’t do without the IMF’s support of a $10bn -12bn loan.’ During the election campaign, Mr Khan pledged to spend public money on access to healthcare for all, upgrading schools and expanding the social safety net. Analysts warned these promises would be hard to fulfil, given the reality of Pakistan’s economic situation. 35% live in poverty and Islamabad has kept going with loans from Chinese commercial banks and allowing the rupee to depreciate 20%. Meanwhile, substance abuse is rampant and terrorists have a safe haven there. This is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian.

A Sri Lankan brick-maker is living with death threats after his conversion to Christianity, often seen as a ‘foreign’ religion, even though Christianity arrived in the Indian sub-continent almost two thousand years ago. Nimal is illiterate, but attended Bible school. When he talks about his faith, many people mock and challenge him. Rising from poverty to set up a small business, Nimal now shares some of his income with his church. Christian charity Open Doors International recently visited Nimal’s family. To watch the video about him, click the ‘More’ button.

The Kingdom Choir, which sang in front of a huge global audience at the royal wedding in May, have now signed a record deal with Sony Music UK. Their debut album comes out in November. Sony Music UK said, ‘Along with the rest of the world, we were stunned by their incredible performance at the royal wedding. The choir believe in love, music and power, and we are excited to capture this on record for their fans across the globe.’

The Italian government recently closed its ports to rescue ships, arguing Italy had taken its fair share of refugees. This week Brussels announced plans to pay EU countries £5,350 to take a refugee, and the Italian foreign minister agreed to allow EU ships carrying rescued migrants to dock at Italian ports (but only for a five-week period). Unfortunately, the interior minister said, ‘If they want to give money to someone else they can do so - Italy doesn’t need charity.’ Italy demands a revision of EU’s anti-trafficking mission in the Mediterranean, as currently rescued migrants automatically disembark at Italian ports.

The Co-operative Academy of Leeds has been working with human rights charity Karma Nirvana to end forced marriages and honour-based abuse. In school education lessons, students were given spoons which they could use if they feared they were being taken abroad to be married in the summer holidays. If they concealed them in their underwear, the spoons would trigger airport metal detectors, and the child would be taken to one side to be searched away from their parent or guardian. This would allow the youngster to tell airport staff that they were being forced into a marriage. Karma Nirvana’s helpline has taken nearly 70,000 calls in ten years. It has worked with the academy for five years, teaching pupils and staff how to be aware of this problem and how to get help if they are affected. See https://www.karmanirvana.org.uk/what-we-do/raising-awareness-education/

Allegations of ‘serious corruption and malpractice’ within the Metropolitan Police are being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Gross misconduct notices were served on three officers, one of whom is also under criminal investigation, and ‘a number’ of others are being assessed. Investigations are at an early stage and may involve as many as 14 officers, including senior officers who interfered with or curtailed investigations and failed to investigate allegations of wrongdoing. There is also alleged systemic removal of the restrictions of officers under investigation and racial discrimination. According to the Sunday Times, three whistleblowers from the Met told the IOPC that members of the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) were shielding officers from a range of allegations. Files have been shredded in the past when allegations of corruption were made, making it hard to prove there was sleaze, bribery or fraud.

Ship of Fools have Mystery Worshippers who visit different churches and denominations with a variety of worship styles and congregation size. They report on what the experience was like and whether they would consider going back. One Mystery Worshipper reported feeling like 'the invisible man', and ‘extremely lonely’. Many reviews noted the only welcome is a quick greeting from someone distributing service sheets. One actually felt bullied by pushy congregation members ‘trying to get me to sign things and buy things’. Mystery Worshippers give us an insight into what it feels like to attend church if you have never been before. People 'like us' are often more easily greeted and assimilated, but people who don’t quite fit can end up invisible and lonely. Alarmingly, one church ‘welcomer’ who stood by the door throughout the service was asked who might feel the most left out. She smiled and replied, 'I think that would be me.'

Street evangelist Allen Coote was arrested outside St Paul's Cathedral for reading the Bible aloud. No members of the public complained: it was cathedral staff who reported him. Allen believes the cathedral’s subsequent concession to allow him just 30 minutes’ speaking time per week was unreasonable and said, ‘The Bible tells us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone. Now, there are many people on the concourse of St Paul's who come from all the nations of the world, and I was just basically reading what they should hear. Some of them were really pleased to stop and just listen to me.’ The cathedral has a policy to limit any ‘source of disturbance’ outside its doors, in order to offer visitors a ‘welcoming space’. Alan is now supporting a campaign by the Barnabas Fund which is calling on Parliament to pass a new law which specifically protects the right to proclaim the Bible in public.