Suicide bombing kills 25 people on outskirts of Damascus, Syria
A terrorist in Syria killed at least 25 people in a suicide bombing of a church on the outskirts of Damascus at about 5 p.m. on Sunday (June 22), according to reports.
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Religious Freedom
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Opinion
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Imprisoned freedom advocate Jimmy Lai rewarded with sweet joy and love
Hong Kong businessman and prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai was sentenced to a horrendous twenty years in jail on Monday February 9th, 2026. For political reasons he is unlikely to die in prison. When released, we will do well to listen to what he has to say about his experience of sweet joy and love in a most unlikely place.
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Iran: a complex context where God is growing the Church
What we have seen recently within Iran is a symptom of a deep desire for change, yet change is already happening. The Spirit of God is moving and Iranians are responding. 50,000 of Iran's 75,000 mosques have closed, reportedly as a result of Christian influence. As change continues, may Iranians coming to Christ become a blessing to all nations.
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The unhelpful vortex that is the conference industrial complex
NGO professionals can find themselves traveling from conference to conference, only to encounter the same people and organizations time after time, listen to the same first-year university level talks, and have the same conversations that sound good but effectively go nowhere. Questioning the conference industrial complex.
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Rising political utilitarianism presents fresh challenges to global missions
Here is an abridged introduction to a missions forecast from the WEA's Mission Commission warning against toxic utilitarianism as a threat to global stability. It leads to a narrow-minded view of national wellbeing and is a multi-faceted problem for those seeking to fulfill the purposes of God internationally. A related decline in philanthropy, trauma of tribalism, lack of theological education, and impact of migration present challenges to the future of World Christianity and missions that will
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Christian falsely charged with blasphemy in Pakistan is acquitted
A judge in Pakistan on Thursday (June 12) acquitted a Christian of blasphemy and terrorism charges after the prosecution failed to prove its case against him, his lawyer said.
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Banned church in China faces closures, detentions
By Edward RossA large church in China that has regrouped and spread after authorities dismantled it in 2018 has faced renewed detentions and closures in the past few weeks, rights monitor Bitter Winter reported.
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![‘Christians must sing to the [communist] party before praising Jesus’: worship restrictions intensify in China](/media/cache/thumbnail/0/21/2111sp_240w_170h_1x_1y.png)
‘Christians must sing to the [communist] party before praising Jesus’: worship restrictions intensify in China
By CDI StaffChurches affiliated with China’s state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement have effectively been required to sing a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) anthem before the closing benediction in Sunday worship services, according to recent reports. The mandate has sparked serious concern, as it is viewed not merely as a formal adjustment but as a deliberate shift intended to displace God from the center of worship and replace Him with loyalty to the Communist Party.
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Afghan Christian refugees facing deportation still in limbo; advocate rejects claim it's safe to return
A woman advocating for around two dozen Afghan Christian refugees facing deportation who attend her North Carolina church has pushed back against the Trump administration's assertions that conditions in Afghanistan have improved enough for them to return and is still looking for someone in Washington to champion their cause.
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UK Supreme Court supports school worker fired for anti-LGBTQ+ views
By Chris EyteThe Supreme Court of the U.K. on Monday (June 9) refused a school’s attempt to appeal a Court of Appeal decision favoring a Christian employee fired for social media posts opposing LGBTQ+ materials in class.
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Digital Shadows: How terror groups in Nigeria and the Sahel leverage social media, AI, and drones
By CDI StaffIn April, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) - an offshoot of Boko Haram and an affiliate of the Islamic State in parts of Nigeria and the Sahel - deployed four armed drones carrying grenades in an attempted attack on a military base in Borno, northeast Nigeria. This was the first time the proscribed group was using drones for direct attacks, a step-up from surveillance and reconnaissance cases.
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Christian in Pakistan awaits verdict in high-profile blasphemy case
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are facing renewed criticism as a Christian charged in a high-profile case awaits a verdict that could carry the death penalty.
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