4th September 2026

Yesterday Yemen's government-aligned National Resistance Forces  and Houthis exchange fire in heavy clashes involving ballistic missiles and drones in southern Hodeidah, a strategic Red Sea coastal province in western Yemen. The conflict began in 2014, when the Houthis launched a coup against Yemen’s government, and then seized much of northwest Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. Fighting has resumed in several provinces in recent weeks, including Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Dhalea and Taiz, as the country continues to face one of the world’s worst humanitarian and economic crises. 

God of life, hears the cries from Yemen; hear our cries for hope, for change, for peace. In your mercy, break political deadlocks, soften hardened hearts, change closed minds, open unhearing ears.

Bring your comfort and love to all traumatised by war, your healing to all who are injured, your compassion to all who grieve.

Guide the leaders of the nations to find solutions to dispute and difference.  May violence give way to talking and reaching agreement. Let people come before power. Let life be holy again. Let your justice and peace shape the nation of Yemen and the lives of all people. In the name of Jesus the Prince of Peace we pray, Amen. 

Prayer based on a prayer from CAFOD.

The Billion Oyster Project, is a not for profit organisation working on Governor Island, New York.  Its objective is to restore 100 acres of lost, historic oyster reefs using the waste streams from dozens of partner restaurants.  The Project uses diverts discarded oyster shells from restaurants from reaching landfill and turns them into new oyster reefs that filter pollutants from the harbor, absorb wave energy, and supply the city’s restaurant industry. Staff estimate that the 200 million live oysters they’ve raised on 3.2 million pounds of discarded shells have filtered tens of trillions of gallons harbour water across 19 acres of restored reefs. Bela Altman, Volunteer Coordinator for the Billion Oyster Project, told Reuters new agency, “Oysters are what we call a keystone species, meaning if the oysters are thriving in an environment all other biodiversity is thriving in that environment.”   the Billion Oyster Project was launched in 2008, with 1 billion oysters expected by 2035.  That would make a major difference to the city, bringing down the cost of oysters to to the restaurant trade, and create 100 new reefs which would refresh the entire water volume of New York Harbor every 3 days. 

Praise be to you O Lord,

you are the King of creation.

Praise be to you O Lord,

you reign over all things.

Praise be to you O Lord,

all that is in me adores you.

Praise be to you O Lord,

for you are the great provider and protector.

Praise be to you O Lord,

you shelter me under your wing,

you heal and save me.