Over 4,000 Swedish people have futuristic microchips implanted into their skin to replace credit cards and cash, as Sweden moves toward a cashless society. Only 1% of their economy is notes and coins. At the same time there’s been a dramatic decrease in crime - with only two bank robberies last year compared to 110 in 2008. The chips are inserted into their hands and pioneers predict millions will soon join them as they hope to take it global. The chips, the size of a grain of rice, can monitor their health and even replace key-cards to allow them to enter offices and buildings. The microchips were pioneered by a former body piercer who has hopeful international investors. He said the technology is safe but many fear cybercrime, integration with other systems and illegal data sharing. Users say they’re happy to give up privacy for convenience.

The holiday season is not a time for God’s people to take time off from watching and praying for Holy Spirit anointing to inspire our next Prime Minister. Now is the time for strong, faith-filled prayers, declaring Kingdom plans and purposes for a United Kingdom led by a united government. Pray for God’s will to be done through the men and women He has equipped to lead in a new political season, free from party-political antagonism. Pray for our leaders to carry God’s wisdom into every corner of the Palace of Westminster. May this nation have the people handpicked and hand-prepared by God to step into the next season of parliament. There will be shifts and changes as our new Prime Minister selects his cabinet, may they have God’s anointing for their new responsibilities, and may they fulfil every God given task for blessings at home and abroad. See also article 1 in World Section.

Over the past three years there has been a 50% increase of pupils aged 11 and under with mental health issues being referred to child health services. Some stay on waiting lists for years before being offered help. Three head teachers told the BBC of the lack of support for disturbed children in their schools where 4 and 5 year-olds self-harm (head-butt, punch walls, pull out chunks of their hair). Nationally, primary school head teachers are reporting a year on year increase of more and more seven and eight-year-old children with a variety of problems and they are finding it harder to manage the acute crisis. Four pupils have attempted to kill themselves on primary school grounds. Please pray for the teachers who are trained to teach, not engage in welfare work or embark on mental health counselling. Pray for the NHS to hear this cry from Educators and act now before the current support system breaks down. See also article in World section – Global Mental Health of the young and BBC report .

A planning application has been submitted to turn empty buildings, standing between a theatre and a museum, into a church. The collection of buildings was previously a nightclub and will be known to a generation of Bradford revellers for nightspots including Revolution, Tequila and Vibe. The Bishop of Bradford says the new place of worship will be known as Fountains Church due to its location overlooking the City Park fountains, and it will be a ‘focus point for faith in Bradford.’ The application also includes a kiosk in the square that was used as a cafe. The kiosk will be used as a short term base for the new church while the initial works in the larger building are completed. The church will take up 2,930 square metres and create a new presence in the city centre for its large resident student and business population.’ The aspiration is to establish a substantial congregation which can meet and worship there. A decision on the application is expected in late August.

MPs debated the Gemma White report of bullying incidents in the Commons on 17 July. Coincidentally, a day after another inquiry found that staff were ‘bullied and harassed’ by ‘known offenders’ in the House of Lords. The commons decided to allow the parliamentary complaints scheme to investigate historical allegations of bullying and harassment incidents, which date from before June 2017. It comes after a report said that there was a ‘significant problem’ of MPs bullying and harassing staff, including some making unwanted sexual advances. Fewer than 30 MPs were in attendance at the debate, where the Commons Leader said MPs must ‘bring forward much needed change at the earliest possible opportunity’. Pray for the lewd, aggressive and intimidating behaviour by certain MPs and senior staff that has been tolerated and concealed for years to be finally revealed and offenders to be publicly condemned.

Radio 4 reported that police and border control are once again going to run Operation Limelight at major airports to prevent children being taken abroad for female genital mutilation (FGM) or arranged marriages. Officers will be speaking to airline and airport personnel to raise awareness, and advise what signs to look for on outbound flights to countries where FGM and child marriage are prevalent. In school holidays families take girls abroad. The girls believe they are going on a family holiday and are unaware of what is about to happen to them. Research shows that 90% of police, health and social care professionals have not received training around these issues and did not feel confident in managing the safeguarding aspect of FGM or how to address cultural sensitivity and barriers.

There continues to be a decline in people identifying as Christian and a substantial increase in those with no religious affiliation or belonging to non-Christian faiths. The percentage identifying as Church of England or Anglican fell from 40% in 1983 to 12% last year. Catholicism fared better in the equivalent timeline falling from 10% to 7%. However among non-denominational Christians it increased from 3% to 13%. The 36th British Social Attitudes report comes after decades of conflict between domestic religious organisations and fast-changing social values. The decline is ‘generational’. Two non-religious parents successfully transmit their lack of religion to the next generation. Two religious parents have a 50% chance of passing on their faith. One religious parent does only half as well as two together.

Gambling rules in Northern Ireland could be brought into line with tighter standards in the rest of the UK following an intervention by the Bishop of St Albans, Alan Smith, and the Bishop of Newcastle, Christine Hardman. Pray that their amendment will be accepted by the Government. The amendment adds gambling legislation to a number of areas on which the Government would be required to produce a report by September as part of moves to restore the devolved executive in Northern Ireland. Bishop Hardman told peers that the current inconsistency meant that reforms introduced in mainland Britain - such as the cap on the maximum stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals - do not apply in Northern Ireland. ‘The anomalies and confusions abound,’ she said. ‘Gambling operates inconsistently within the UK, and this affects lives.’ Bishop Alan said, ‘Currently people from Northern Ireland are three times more likely to have a gambling-related problem than in the rest of the country’.

Theodora Giggle Doctors are professional performers, highly trained to work in hospitals and hospice environments with children with disabilities. They are actors, entertainers, magicians, musicians and singers. Play in hospital gives children the chance to forget about what they are going through and makes situations that could be scary and worrying more fun, creating happy memories. Play stops children getting bored and takes their mind away from what is going on around them. The Giggle Doctors always bring joy and laughter not only to the children but also to parents and hospital staff. During their visits they are able to make children relax and feel happy, taking their mind away from the hospital environment they are in and creating smiles which parents treasure.

A Zen group will no longer be holding their hour-and-a-half silent meditation sessions at the Old Palace in the Cathedral grounds, due to complaints that it is incompatible with Christianity. The Wild Goose Sangha group sessions were run by Canon Chris Collingwood, an Anglican priest who is also a Zen teacher, and referred to as the Sensei within the meditation sessions. Zen meditation roots are in Buddhism and Canon Collingwood describes himself as ‘religiously bilingual’ and said Zen poses fewer problems than other non-Christian customs because it doesn’t claim to be a system of doctrine or belief. Concerns were raised three years ago about the compatibility of Zen with Christianity and finally cancelled after the Rt Rev Dr Jonathan Frost, the dean of York Minster, ended the Minster’s association with the group.