Lebanon & Haiti: Cholera outbreaks
Lebanon is trying to contain cholera in its most vulnerable communities. 290 cases and 11 deaths were confirmed since October 6th. Cholera is a bacterial infection caused by contaminated water or food, it spreads quickly and can kill within hours through severe dehydration. It’s completely preventable with clean water and sanitation access, usually provided by public utilities, but those empowered to deliver this have already made off with the money budgeted for the infrastructure. See Haiti is also grappling with cholera, and the timing couldn’t be worse. The previous outbreak killed nearly 10,000 people between 2010 and 2019. Now, over 1,700 cholera cases have been confirmed, half of them children, and 40 people have died so far. Haiti was already struggling under hostile gang takeovers in cities. A few medical centres try to treat cases, but they lack fuel, gangs blocking the seaport prevent fuel being released, bringing businesses and health facilities to a halt.
Canada: Quebec ties to King Charles III
On October 26th Canadian parliamentarians voted no to severing ties with the monarchy, after Yves-Francois Blanchet introduced a motion that sparked conversation in the House of Commons about the monarchy. His move follows 14 recently elected Quebec politicians refusing to recite an oath of allegiance to the King as required by Canadian law. Many Quebecers are in favour of Canada being a republic rather than a constitutional monarchy - a sentiment that is tied to the province's history of being a French-speaking region that was once under British colonial rule. Over the years Quebec politicians have continued to put forward policies that seek to define the province as distinct from English Canada. When tabling his motion Mr Blanchet said Canada's tie to the British Crown is ‘archaic.’ Opinion polls following Queen Elizabeth’s death found 79% of Quebec agreed they should sever their ties with the Crown.
Iran: 15 killed, 40 injured by ISIS
At least 15 people were killed and 40 others were injured in a terrorist attack at the Shahcheragh Shrine in the city of Shiraz. Two children were among the victims. Iranian security forces have arrested two of the suspected attackers, and a manhunt is underway to capture a third. The terror group ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a statement through its affiliated Amaq news agency that said one of its members had ‘targeted groups of Sunni refusal infidels inside the shrine with his Kalashnikov machine gun, causing the death of tens of them.’ The attack happened on the same day that clashes broke out throughout Iran and thousands of people came to the burial site of Kurdish Mahsa Amini to mark 40 days since her death. Iranian news ISNA said it’s unclear if the attack was related to the protests.
Libya: A nation in turmoil
Libya’s government has been unstable for a decade. The situation for Christians changed drastically after Gaddafi’s regime fell. Weapons and Islamist ideologies such as Ansar al-Sharia, Nusra Front, and ISIS began hunting down Christians. The world will never forget ISIS beheading Coptic Christians on Libya’s beach. We praise God that a Christian ministry was able to visit Libya for a week recently and was warmly welcomed as they encouraged many people and shone the bright light of Jesus Christ in this difficult-to-reach nation. Thank God for the global Christian communities and individuals who are praying for the Libyans with love and sympathy. May more avenues be opened for Christians to enter and encourage the persecuted Libyan church. Pray for Christians to gain greater religious freedom to spread the gospel and be able to follow Jesus openly and pray for the believers who are arrested and mistreated because of their faith.
