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Israel: IS planning attack from Sinai
13 May 2016
A German newspaper reports that IS is planning a massive attack against Israel from the Sinai peninsula. Such an attack could include tanks and artillery. The Sinai-based Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis terrorist organisation has pledged allegiance to…
The church in the Middle East
13 May 2016
Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter a month later than western Christians. One beautiful Orthodox tradition is the ceremony of lights in Jerusalem: Christians light their candles in the ancient city and take the fire back to their…
Japan: G7 summit
13 May 2016
Faith leaders and scientists have written to ask President Obama ‘to take nuclear risk-reduction steps’ during the G7 summit next week (26/27 May). ‘Heightened tensions between the United States and Russia, and the growing risk of…
Iran: British-Iranian detained without charge
13 May 2016
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a charity worker, was visiting her family in Iran. Her husband Richard has said: ‘She was at the airport returning to the UK on 3 April when the Iranian Revolutionary Guard arrested her, transferred…
Iraq: over 100 killed in bomb attacks
13 May 2016
On Wednesday 93 people died in three car bomb attacks in Baghdad. The deadliest killed 64 and wounded 87. Later two suicide bombers targeted police checkpoints, leaving 29 dead. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks -…
Algeria: vulnerable Christians
13 May 2016
Algerian Christians face increasing restrictions as the government is pressured by Islamist groups to implement more Islamic legislation. Only Muslims are allowed to hold public assemblies, and individual churches are often denied registration. Though some historical…