Asia
Iran: military alliance with China
Iran intends to build a military base in the Indian Ocean to protect fishing and commercial vessels from piracy and ‘foreign ships’ (referring to the US-led multinational naval task force currently protecting Gulf…
North Korea: Prisoner 42
After fleeing from North Korea to China, Prisoner 42 was captured and sent to a North Korean prison camp, where she spent one year in solitary confinement. Guards shaved her head and stripped…
South Korea: investigations on sending Bibles by balloon
What began as an activity restriction in South Korea is turning into an assault on religious freedom. In June, police stopped Voice of the Martyrs Korea from sending Bibles across the border to…
Armenia-Azerbaijan: deadly border clashes
On 6 July, Azerbaijan’s president said peace talks with Armenia to settle the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict had stalled. He called talks between the countries' foreign ministers ‘pointless’. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation…
South China Sea dispute
Six Asian countries have competing claims on the South China Sea, but only China has backed its claims with artificial island-building, military bases and naval patrols. The USA has not taken sides in…
Syria: vital foreign aid approved
On 11 July the UN approved a new round of cross-border aid to Syria through the Turkish border into militant-controlled Idlib province - providing one year of foreign aid to the northwest region…
International Justice Mission - answered prayer
Rejoice that during lockdown IJM Philippines has assisted local police on 16 online sexual exploitation rescue operations, bringing to safety 57 children and vulnerable adults, including a three-month-old baby, and seeing eight suspects…
Israel: extension of sovereignty
‘Annexation’ is actually Israel extending its civil rule over areas that are under its military rule. Whether Israel does this over a small area of what is in President Trump's peace plan, or…
Afghanistan: Covid crisis
This prayer update is based on input from a contact of International Prayer Connection who is living in the region (for the full letter click the ‘More’ button). ‘Covid-19 spreads like wildfire and…
Hong Kong: disruption, not law changes causing emigration
Although emigration is increasing because of the new national security law, many people will leave not because of communism or a lack of unfettered democracy, but due to never-ending disruption to their lives…
