Thomas Petter

Myanmar: Taw Oo District Short Update: Burma Army shelling and air strike injured two children, damaged villagers’ houses, and caused displacement in Htaw Ta Htoo Township (July 2025)

. This Short Update describes events occurring in Htaw Ta Htoo (Htantabin) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. On 21 July 2025, the Burma Army fired shells into Aa--- village, Zayat Gyi Taung Chan village tract, injuring a 14-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl. Additionally, houses of villagers we

C. S. Lewis, the New Atheists, and the Failure to Disprove God with Alister McGrath

Alister McGrath remembers life as an atheist back in the late 1960s. He believed only what could be proven to be true. And he judged religious believers for trusting in an irrational fantasy. Looking back, though, he can see an emotional basis for what he thought were purely rational conclusions. He

Parents: Use Children’s Literature to Point Toward Christ

While our kids were still finishing up their dinner, my husband would often pick up our latest shared book and begin reading to us. Many nights of reading passed by uneventfully, but a few linger in our collective memory—the ones when my husband choked up, grew quiet, and couldn’t go on because he w

MENA displacement crises make refugee ministry training critical

Middle East/North Africa (MNN) — Forced displacement is a too-well-known reality across the Middle East and Southeast Asia today. Since February 28, the joint United States-Israel war with Iran and other conflicts have only worsened the situation. The United Nations Refugee Agency reports that betwe

Christian villages in Lebanon receive aid amid regional escalation

Lebanon (MNN) — Lebanon draws global attention as Israel strikes southern Beirut suburbs, and Iran threatens to end negotiations with the United States. Secretary Marco Rubio attends working-level peace talks with Israel and Lebanon at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 23, 2026. (Official S

Encouraged and connected: Cheshme app reaches Iranians beyond restrictions

Iran (MNN) — When borders close to the Gospel, technology steps in. Transform Iran’s app “Cheshme,” meaning “spring of water,” is bringing hope into Iran. Lana Silk says, “if you're feeling lost or struggling in any area, then you have at your fingertips a whole range of materials to encourage you.”

Is Imputed Righteousness Biblical?

In the orthodox Protestant tradition, 2 Corinthians 5:21 has been a key text to support the doctrine of imputed righteousness. The verse reads, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” According to this doctrine, believers possess

Philippines: Mayon Volcano Summary of 24Hr Observation 2 June 2026 12:00 AM [EN/TL]

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UNICEF Afghanistan Humanitarian Situation Report No. 4, 30 April 2026

Countries: Afghanistan, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Pakistan . Situation in Numbers 21.9 M People in need of humanitarian assistance (HNRP 2026) 11.6 M Children in need of humanitarian assistance (HNRP 2026) 942,000 Children under 5 expected to need treatment for severe acute malnutrition (HNRP 2026

LTS Nigeria Protection Crisis (May 2026)

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Nigeria: LTS Services Dashboard (May 2026)

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Sudan ETC Dashboard - May 2026

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World: Pacific Syndromic Surveillance System Weekly Bulletin / Système de Surveillance Syndromic dans le Pacifique - Bulletin Hebdomadaire: W21 2026 (May 18 - May 24) [EN/FR]

Countries: World, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (France), Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Caledonia (France), New Zealand, Niue (New Zealand), Northern Mariana Islands (The United States of America), Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitca

Sudan conflict - LTC Situation Report (Telecoms Area) #40 (Reporting period: May 2026)

. The WFP-led Logistics and Telecommunications Cluster (LTC) was activated as the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) on 25 May 2023 in response to the conflict crisis in Sudan. This Situation Report provides a monthly update on LTC telecoms activities. All references to the LTC in this repor

Afghanistan: Weekly Market Report: Issue 297: Week 4 - May 2026

. Highlights Exchange Rate and Trade Dynamics: During the fourth week of May, the Afghani exchange rate remained stable at AFN 63.8/USD, while remaining stronger than both last year and the three-year average, helping to moderate the impact of imported inflation on domestic markets. Market supply co

Country Strategic Roadmap: India 2024–2030 (Driving Action - Propelling Change)

. 1. Context India is the largest democracy in the world and supports 16% and 17% of the world’s human and livestock population, respectively, with just 4.25% and 2% of the world’s freshwater and land resources, respectively. Although India has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the worl

Myanmar Health Cluster Bulletin May 2026

. Use of heavy weapons continues to be the highest reported type of incident, followed by obstruction, psychological violence and removal of assets. Health Cluster will conduct SSA awareness sessions to encourage partners to report any attack on health care directly in the online system. Intensifica

Lebanon Key Message Update: Ongoing hostilities drive further displacement and uneven food access, May - September 2026

Countries: Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic . Key Messages Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes are expected across South and El-Nabatieh governorates through September 2026, driven by sustained insecurity, collapsed market functionality, and severely constrained humanitarian access. From June through Septemb

Venezuela - Key Message Update: Erosion of household purchasing power continues amid high food prices, May - September 2026

. Key Messages Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes are expected to persist countrywide through September, despite gradual macroeconomic improvements. Most poor households remain able to meet their minimum food needs, but face difficulties meeting their essential non-food needs due to extremely high food

Colombia: liberación de dos personas en Arauca

. La misión contó con la participación de la Defensoría del Pueblo y de la Iglesia Católica. Tras su liberación, las personas fueron trasladadas en un vehículo del CICR a otra zona, donde pudieron reencontrarse con sus seres queridos. La participación del CICR en este tipo de operaciones humanitaria

World Bank Approves $500 Million to Improve Rural Roads and Market Access in Ghana

. Poor road conditions and inadequate maintenance have long constrained rural livelihoods in Ghana — limiting market access, driving up transport costs, and contributing to significant post-harvest losses. The project directly addresses these challenges by rehabilitating and maintaining critical fee

Ebola outbreak: Acted’s emergency response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

. According to the World Health Organisation, within the space of a week, the number of suspected cases in Ituri province rose from 513 to 883. By 25 May, there had been 220 deaths. These figures could see a gradual increase in the coming days. The outbreak now spans more than three provinces and, d

Sierra Leone Measles Outbreak Response - DREF Operation (MDRSL021)

. Description of the EventDate when the trigger was met 13-05-2026 What happened, where and when? On 13 May 2026, the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), officially declared a measles outbreak in Sierra Leone following confirmation of sustained t

Fulani Muslims Kill 8 Christians, Injure 15

Suspected Fulani gunmen attacked a Christian farming community in central Nigeria’s Plateau state on Sunday evening, killing eight Christians and injuring at least 15 others, according to residents and government officials. The attack occurred in Gwomjang, a predominantly Christian village in Kadunu

Chhattisgarh: Where Faith in Christ Comes with a Price

The sutures protruding from the deep, still-fresh wound on 32-year-old Mangu’s head are the latest evidence of the persecution faced by Christians in the tribal belt of Bastar in Chhattisgarh, India. Families like Mangu’s are willing to pay a heavy price — social ostracism, physical violence, and ev

Hindu Nationalists Attack Christian Convention in India

A two-day Christian spiritual convention organized at a private hotel in Ratlam town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh was disrupted by Hindu nationalist groups on May 27 over allegations of forced conversions. Members of the event’s organizing committee claimed they had notified authorities abo

California man sentenced for international reptile trafficking

One climber rescued, 3 dead after Mount McKinley accident

ADF Kills At Least 7 Christians in Beni

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killed at least seven Christians during an overnight attack on May 30 in Beni, located in North Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the local chief, the victims belonged to the Pygmy community of the Twa ethnic group and were mur

Appeals court partially blocks military’s ban on troops who identify as trans

SBC to vote on female pastors, immigration, digital church

Died: Dale Rhoton, Quiet Cofounder of Operation Mobilisation

Shortly before midnight on January 4, 1988, the passenger ship Logos ran aground while cruising through the Beagle Channel off the coast of Argentina. The 2,319-ton vessel struck rock and began to sink with 139 missionaries and crew onboard. The Chilean Navy dispatched torpedo boats, which rescued a

Crews rush to save miners trapped in a flooded cave in Laos

Christian Theologians React to the Pope’s AI Warning

The broader church has not always loved popes named Leo. Pope Leo X in 1520 described Martin Luther as a “wild boar from the forest” destroying the church. Pope Leo XII asserted in 1824 that Bible societies “produce a gospel of men, or what is worse, a gospel of the devil!” And in 1883, Pope Leo XII

It Takes a System

He was a 10-year-old Malawian boy, born in a rural community like so many in sub-Saharan Africa. His family made the journey to Nkhoma Mission Hospital, a hospital in the Lilongwe district, after he began having difficulty breathing. An exam and ultrasound of his heart revealed he was in severe hear

You Don’t Need Testosterone Therapy

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is getting trendier—more and more men are using it, sometimes without even checking their testosterone levels. Others are getting their testosterone levels checked for vague, nonspecific symptoms like just feeling “off,” while some are giving themselves testost

Christian Psychologists in Brazil Fight to Express Their Faith

After years of frustration, Larissa Lima typed out a post on X in April. “In Brazil, a psychologist can call themselves left-wing, feminist, decolonial, anything but Christian,” she wrote in Portuguese. The post reached 2 million views, drawing 1,700 likes and nearly 675 comments. Initially, some qu

Women Are Leaving the Church. Let’s Reverse the Trend.

For generations, it was a given that women in the church outnumbered men, both in the pews and in volunteer service. But this reality is shifting. According to Barna, as of 2025, 43 percent of American men attend church regularly, while only 36 percent of women do. Unfortunately, this isn’t simply b

Warrior Leadership Summit works to heal damage done in the name of Jesus

USA (MNN)—From June 29 to July 4, indigenous young adults from across North America will gather together for five days of learning who Jesus is—and who he isn’t—at the Warrior Leadership Summit (WLS). The event is an annual leadership and discipleship conference for Native American youth. “A lot of

Praying for winter to end: How you can walk alongside Chinese believers

China (MNN) — Chinese believers continue to need strategic prayer from Christians around the world. And the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, observed every May 24, provides a helpful opportunity to focus on the needs of the Chinese Church. China Partner's Erik Burklin says: “I think God