Large-scale money laundering exposed
Iceland’s largest fishing company, Samherji, exploited legal loopholes and secrecy jurisdictions to enable corruption and environmental exploitation on a global scale. It used an anonymous shell company to launder and transfer 70 million dollars’ worth of illegal fishing activities off the coasts of West Africa, and bribed members of the Namibian government. Two Namibian ministers have already resigned over allegedly giving preferential access to fishing grounds. Samherji used shell companies in Dubai, Mauritius and Cyprus. Most of the money was traced to a bank account at a state-owned bank: the bank’s largest shareholder is the Norwegian state, which holds a 34% stake.
Jesus stopped honour killing
In Middle East’s honour-shame culture, a raped woman brings her family shame and they have a duty to kill her. Three Yazidi girls were taken as slaves by IS. Later, while their father was asleep, he saw Jesus. He recognised Him by His nail-pierced hands. Jesus said, ‘You don’t need to kill your daughters. I paid for everyone, so go and get them.’ The man woke and thought this can’t be real. He went back to sleep and had exactly the same dream. He woke up again, went back to sleep, and had the same dream for a third time - one dream for each daughter. He gathered the Yazidi elders and told them what happened. ‘Jesus showed up in my tent, I’m going to get my girls and not kill them.’ Because of Jesus, he welcomed his girls home and persuaded other Yazidi men to take back their daughters without harming them.
An election prayer
Lord, we pray for peace in this election season. We pray for peace between divided communities and within families; we pray for peace between political opponents. We pray that You will be our refuge and our strength, our mighty fortress in times of need. Lord, keep our focus on you, and as we hear and think about politics we would seek to serve and worship you. ‘I lift my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven’ (Psalm 123:1). We pray for political journalists who are reporting on the election and Brexit, that they will work with integrity and maintain professionalism; and for young people under the age of 18, who cannot vote, still to be engaged in politics and voice their concerns.
Cleanup after floods
Please continue to pray for the owners of over 1,750 properties that have been flooded in recent weeks. Ask God to support them as they go through the painful process of assessing damage, claiming insurance, and discarding much that was not salvageable. Pray particularly that those who did not have insurance will receive appropriate help to rebuild their lives. Pray for God to comfort those who have lost sentimental and irreplaceable possessions. The Environment Agency (EA) has warned that some older properties could be contaminated with anthrax or other dangerous pollutants after the floods, so the fire brigade might say they are not safe for re-occupation. Pray for wise and effective reviews by the EA of the flood defences required for the future. See also
