Newsletter February 2026

Cabo Verde: Location Map (2026)

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Cameroon: West and Central Africa: 2026 Flooding Outlook (02–06 June)

Countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone .

EU, Canada should boost NATO ships, aircraft, says U.S.

Libya launches two national initiatives to transform community and school health-The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and UNICEF unveil a coordinated package — the National Community Health Program and the National Strategy for School Health

. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and UNICEF unveil a coordinated package — the National Community Health Program and the National Strategy for School Health and Nutrition (2026–2030) — to bring health care closer to every Libyan family, child, and adolescent. TRIPOLI, June 2026 —

SCOTUS clears way for Alabama’s redrawn congressional map

Mohler refines focus of proposal on SBC on female pastors

The Scenario I Imagined for This Year’s Ethics Class Final

This piece was adapted from Russell Moore’s newsletter. Subscribe here. Since the early aughts, I’ve ended every Christian ethics class I’ve taught with a scenario I’ve asked my students to solve. I imagine a situation and keep complicating and complicating until I’m not sure I know the answers. Tha

Middle East Conflict: Lebanon Response Situation Report #6 | June 3, 2026

. FAST FACTS More than 1 million people remain displaced, including over 132,000 people sheltering in 633 collective sites. Escalating insecurity in the south and the Bekaa continues to restrict humanitarian access and block safe returns. OUR FOOTPRINT International Medical Corps maintains a wide op

Two scientists accused of smuggling mpox samples into U.S.

Syria: WFP Satellite-based assessment of Euphrates River flooding

. Key highlights: In late May 2026, the Euphrates River experienced severe flooding, expanding to three times its normal size, from 60.9 km² to 188.7 km², following exceptional upstream rainfall and large‑scale dam water releases. The flood inundated 7,210 hectares of agricultural land, equivalent t

South Sudan: Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Preparedness Snapshot, Flash update #2 | 31 May 2026

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oPt: One year later, MSF continues to treat injuries linked to Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

. Leila Rafei June 3 2026, 9:09am The GHF, which replaced a 400-site UN-coordinated aid distribution system, was run by Israel with financial support from the United States and other allies. GHF sites became operational on May 26, 2025, and were “secured” by private American armed contractors, with

Life for Relief and Development (LIFE) Launches Emergency Response for Families Displaced by Escalating Conflict in Lebanon

. This escalation has led to the displacement of more than 1.2 million people within Lebanon, including approximately 370,000 displaced children, representing nearly 20% of the country’s population. Families have fled southern regions and the southern suburbs of**, Mount Lebanon, and northern Lebano

Protected: Rebuilt Churches Shine in the Sudan

UNAIDS supports efforts to ramp up Ebola and HIV response amid evolving Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda

Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda . National authorities, supported by Africa CDC, WHO and partners, are leading efforts to contain the outbreak, while neighboring countries are strengthening border surveillance, risk communication and response preparedness. Community partners are

IRC Italy Protection Monitoring Report: January - March 2026

Countries: Italy, World . Protection monitoring is the systematic and regular collection, verification, and analysis of information over an extended period of time, in order to identify violations of rights and protection risks for populations of concern, in order to enable prevention and inform eff

Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis demands a lasting ceasefire

. Israeli airstrikes, ground operations, and large-scale evacuation orders have forced families to flee their homes, often with little notice and few resources. Many have lost access to income, while damage to infrastructure and ongoing insecurity are making it harder for people to access food, heal

Spain: Consideraciones de protección internacional y Posiciones de país de ACNUR

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Iran: UNHCR Middle East Situation: Weekly Update #19 as of 2 June 2026

Countries: Iran (Islamic Republic of), Afghanistan, Armenia, Lebanon, Pakistan, Syrian Arab Republic, Türkiye, Turkmenistan . SITUATION OVERVIEW REGIONAL CONTEXT Since late February, escalating hostilities in Iran and Lebanon have triggered humanitarian consequences with impact across the region, in

World: New Framework Reframing Modern Conflicts as Global Health System Shocks

. Published as a perspective article in the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health, “Modern Conflicts as Global Health System Shocks: A Multi-Level Framework” proposes the Global Health System Shock Framework, a new approach that examines how armed conflicts generate cascading health impacts that

Attacks on Health Care in Sudan, 13 - 26 May 2026

. Data from Insecurity Insight shows that since fighting started between the SAF and RSF in April 2023 and 12 May 2026: 755 attacks on health care recorded Over two-thirds of these 755 attacks were attributed to the RSF. 207 health workers killed, 15 kidnapped and 127 arrested Health facilities atta

Nearly half of the population in Government-controlled areas of Yemen face acute food insecurity as humanitarian support sharply declines

. The analysis shows that around 5 million people are currently experiencing Crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3+), including 1.4 million people in Emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4). The outlook is expected to worsen as the year progresses. During the June-September 2026 le

Vanuatu: Respiratory Infections: Situation Report #5 as of 25 May 2026

. Key Highlights: From EW19–EW21, 7 RSV cases and 1 influenza case were reported in EW21, bringing totals to 33 RSV and 9 influenza cases in 2026. ILI activity increased (489, 478, 565) but remained below the alert threshold, while SARI decreased (10, 9, 8). Most cases (84%) were in children aged 0–

Vanuatu Dengue Situation Update 02 (31 May 2026)

. Key highlights: From EW20–EW22, 2 new cases were reported, bringing the total to 10, with no hospitalizations or deaths. Most cases (80%) were from Pango, with 70% female and 60% aged 26+. Some cases reported recent travel to Fiji, suggesting epidemiological links. No outbreak has been declared. C

Lebanon: MHPSS Emergency Response Update (March 2, 2026- May 5, 2026)

. The National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) at the Ministry of Public Health continues to lead and coordinate the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Coordination Group, co-chaired by WHO and UNICEF, with 100+ partner actors integrating MHPSS across sectors in Lebanon's emergency respon

Biola University Will Acquire Phoenix Seminary

Biola University is acquiring Phoenix Seminary, rebranding the Arizona school as Talbot Seminary Phoenix in a consolidation that will create the nation’s second-largest seminary without a denominational affiliation. In January, leaders from Phoenix Seminary approached Biola to propose merging the sc

Why (and When) It’s Okay for Christians to Get Angry

A few months ago, my elementary-age sons insisted Jesus had sinned: “He wasn’t perfect, Mom. Remember how he got angry in the temple?” I was surprised they had come to this conclusion on their own. But when I reflect on most cultural expressions of anger, I understand why they would conflate anger w

The Tremor of Joy

Jesus’ paired parables of the hidden treasure and the precious pearl in Matthew 13:44–46 endlessly intrigue me. Each is fewer than 35 words. Jesus in the first parable compares the kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field. When, by a stroke of luck, a man stumbles over it, he gleefully sell

Large-Scale Strikes on Kyiv Leave Christians Counting the Cost

On the evening of May 23, Andrei Murzin’s phone alerted him about the possibility of an overnight Russian attack. The professor and program director at Kyiv Theological Seminary faced a choice: Stay in his 15th-floor apartment—an option that made him a little nervous—or spend the night in his garage

Light Reveals the Heart

What explains why some come to Jesus and others turn away? John Piper opens John 3:16–21 to show that unbelief is our guilt, but faith is God’s gift.Watch Now

Graduates, Remember the Rich Young Man: To the Class of 2026

There once was a man who gave up everything important so he could cling to things that fade. If we want to follow Jesus, we cannot be like that man.Watch Now

Ukraine's next generation shares messages for the West as capital endures more strikes

Ukraine (MNN) — Monday night, June 1, Russia struck Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine with more than 70 missiles and over 650 drones. It was the third heavy assault on Kyiv in less than a month. Previous strikes on May 13–14 and 23–24 in Kyiv and other locations were just as devastating, if not m

Thousands in Canada speak up over Bill C-9 religious freedom concerns

Canada (MNN) — Concern over Bill C-9 in Canada has mobilized thousands of people. In previous stories, we've covered Bill C-9, its potential risks, ways Christians can respond prayerfully, and its significance in a broader global context, including developments in Finland. Since then, Canadians acro

Mission Cry shipment reaches Uganda

Uganda (MNN) — Last month, a Mission Cry shipping container headed to Uganda was delayed at sea by geopolitical tensions, but it has now finally reached the country. Jason Woolford with Mission Cry says, “This container has finally been able to hit the port. It's been released… and it has already be

Turek wins Senate nomination in Iowa as results come in

Two More Vietnamese Christians Detained in Central Highlands

Two Montagnard Vietnamese Christian men — Pastor Siu Yúi, 68, and church member Siu Dok, 40 — were recently arrested in Gia Lai Central Province in Vietnam’s Central Highlands region. Both men were charged with “religious teachings” to mobilize ethnic minority communities in Vietnam’s Central Highla

Chinese Pastors Denied Access to Bibles in Prison

Three leaders of Maizhong Reformed Church — Pastor Zhang Sen, Pastor Chang Shun, and Elder Ma Tao — have been reportedly denied access to God’s Word while in prison in China. The three men were arrested in June 2025 when the church was raided. Communist officials charged them with being part of a cu

Pakistani Police Shoot Christian Man

Alayan Johnson, a 22-year-old Christian auto-rickshaw driver in Punjab, Pakistan, was shot by police after being mistaken for a suspect. Now, police are reportedly pressuring him to call off an investigation into the shooting. In a video statement from his hospital bed, Johnson recounted the terrify

Buddhists Throw Stones at Church as Christians Pray Inside

With nearly 20 Christians gathered inside for prayer, Buddhists threw stones at Zion Church on May 21 in Southern Sri Lanka. According to local sources, at around 8 p.m., during prayers, a loud noise was suddenly heard on the roof. The congregation soon realized that stones were being deliberately t

The Hidden Bureaucracy: How Selangor’s Shoplot Worship Ban Connects to a Bigger Agenda

For decades, non-Muslim communities throughout Malaysia have operated under a quiet, frustrating reality. Due to a chronic shortage of land available for non-Islamic places of worship — referred to administratively as “Rumah Ibadat Selain Islam” or “RISI” — thousands of churches have found their onl