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.

18 October was Anti-Slavery Day. 40 million people are trapped in slavery worldwide, and have no one to protect them. In many places laws against slavery are not enforced by police, so slave owners and traffickers can prey on the poor and vulnerable without fear of consequences. According to a report, UK police don’t tackle modern slavery because cases are too difficult and senior officers believe the public lack sympathy for the victims. Sky news reported that 17 police forces held data on convictions for slavery; 1,265 slavery offences were reported but only 25 people were prosecuted. In the UK, slavery is not just a bad working condition. People are living under constant control and fear and facing daily physical, verbal and sexual abuse. They are trapped. The charity Hope for Justice described the current situation in the UK as ‘a human conveyor belt of slavery’. See also

Northern Ireland's’ supreme court judges are considering whether abortion laws breach human rights. Currently abortion is illegal unless a woman's life is in danger or if continuing the pregnancy would cause mental or physical harm. On 25 and 26 October a number of contributors explained why they believe the law is incompatible with human rights, while others explained their opposition to any law changes. Ireland's attorney general and lawyers for the department of justice argued for the status quo. Christian politician Jim Shannon said democratic values must be upheld, amid supreme court scrutiny of the abortion laws; and the majority of people in Northern Ireland support current laws. See also the next article.

In a statement to healthcare professionals and others involved in terminations, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, and his Scottish counterpart Archbishop Philip Tartaglia called for a change of attitudes, in favour of greater protection for human life. Over eight million pregnancies have been aborted since David Steel's private member's bill became law fifty years ago. Urging a period of prayer and fasting, the 2,000-word document signed by the Catholic leaders also expressed concern that there are not enough safeguards protecting unborn children with disabilities. They said there was an urgent need for parents and teachers to promote the sanctity of human life. See the previous article.

Islamic finance has been welcomed uncritically into the UK. Today there are over twenty lenders in the UK offering Islamic financial services. The British government has been promoting Islamic finance for some years, and in 2014 the UK made history by becoming the first non-Muslim country to issue a sovereign Islamic bond. However, there are serious problems and concerns about Islamic finance, which is why Christian Concern have produced a booklet on the subject. Islamic finance is based on the idea that the Qur'an prohibits all forms of interest; it also aims at increasing the influence of sharia law.