MASSIVE PEACEFUL PROTESTS RESUME IN HONG KONG AFTER VIOLENT CLASHES
By Donnelly McCleland Hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters of all ages returned to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday [18 August], in a massive show of solidarity for a movement that appeared on the verge of losing popular support. Protesters defied torrential rain, a police ban and menacing threats from the Chinese government…
CHINA’S ‘RE-EDUCATION’ OF UYGHUR MINORITY GROUP UNDER SCRUTINY
By Alex Pollock Most people sent to mass detention centres in China have been “returned to society”, a senior official from the area [XinJiang] said on Tuesday [13 August]. UN experts and activists say at last one million ethnic Uyghurs, and members of other largely Muslim minority groups, have been detained in camps in the…
SAUDI COUNCIL APPROVES ROYAL DECREE TO REFORM GUARDIANSHIP SYSTEM
By Mike Burnard On Thursday [1 August 2019], Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers announced their approval of a royal decree to reform the Kingdom’s wilayah, or guardianship system, a jumble of regulations that Human Rights Watch has said constitute “the most significant impediment to realising women’s rights in the country”. The new laws, at least some of which are expected…
MIGRANTS EXIT RESCUE SHIP IN ITALY AFTER 19-DAY STANDOFF
21 AUGUST 2019 (SOURCE: AP) -More than 80 people were being evacuated from a migrant rescue ship on Tuesday, capping a drama that saw 15 passengers jump into the sea to escape deteriorating conditions aboard and spurred Spain to dispatch a naval ship in a bid to end a weekslong humanitarian crisis with Italy. Sicilian…
PENTAGON CONDUCTS 1ST TEST OF PREVIOUSLY BANNED MISSILE
20 AUGUST 2019 (SOURCE: AP) -The U.S. military has conducted a flight test of a type of missile banned for more than 30 years by a treaty that both the United States and Russia abandoned this month, the Pentagon said. The test off the coast of California on Sunday marked the resumption of an arms competition that…
ISLAMIC STATE CLAIMS BOMBING AT KABUL WEDDING THAT KILLED 63
19 AUGUST 2019 (SOURCE: AP) -The suicide bomber stood in the middle of the dancing, clapping crowd as hundreds of Afghan children and adults celebrated a wedding in a joyous release from Kabul’s strain of war. Then, in a flash, he detonated his explosives-filled vest, killing dozens — and Afghanistan grieved again. The local Islamic…
NORTH KOREA SNUBS PEACE TALKS WITH SOUTH KOREA
16 AUGUST 2019 (SOURCE: BBC) -North Korea has rejected any further talks with South Korea, calling its decision “completely the fault of South Korea’s actions”. It issued a statement in response to a speech by South Korea President Moon Jae-in on Thursday. Meanwhile, early on Friday North Korea test-fired two missiles into the sea off…
WEEK 9: Hide and Seek
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8, NIV) A couple of years ago when we were called to go into missions, God assured us from John 21 that He will “prepare our breakfast” – we just need to be obedient. My husband…
HONG KONG READIES FOR MORE PROTESTS
15 AUGUST 2019 (SOURCE: REUTERS) – Hong Kong braced on Thursday for more mass demonstrations through the weekend, with the weeks-long crisis escalating after pro-democracy protests forced the cancellation of nearly 1,000 flights this week and world leaders urging calm. China reiterated on Wednesday that Hong Kong’s protest resembled terrorism and more street clashes followed…
