News in brief 
6. December 07
Genetic advances and new biotechnologies force churches to reaffirm human dignity and the integrity of the web of life
Participants at a 2-5 December Global Consultation on Genetics and New Biotechnologies held in Johannesburg, South Africa stated that "the creativity of science needs to serve the common good" and cautioned against the risk of biotechnology leading to "increased dependency and threat to biodiversity". "Communities can be devastated by the intrusion of genetically modified seeds and bio-piracy", participants said. They recognized the "need for...
30. November 07
International Day of Solidarity with Palestinians: WCC emphasizes international community failure
Rev. Christopher Ferguson, representative of the World Council of Churches to the United Nations, denounced that "the international community has failed and continues to fail to stand with the Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem and worldwide in ending the brutal military occupation, ongoing dispossession and securing the right to return".
Students and youth call to prayer and action for Christian unity
On the occassion of the Week of Prayer's 100th anniversary in 2008, global Christian youth organizations are encouraging all their members to take action for Christian unity. They strongly encourage all members at the local, national and continental levels to organize common actions during the week with other Christian student and youth organizations.
WCC welcomes Annapolis meeting, suggests criteria for success
Good faith, multilateral participation and adherence to the rule of law are essential if the Annapolis Middle East Conference starting Tuesday, 27 November, is to be a success, WCC general secretary Samuel Kobia writes to Condoleezza Rice, Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas.
Latest AIDS figures: Church advocates call for renewed action, not complacency
Revised figures for the HIV epidemic which drop the estimated number of people living with HIV worldwide to about 33 million have been welcomed by church workers active in the response to HIV and AIDS around the world as a sign of hope and a challenge to keep promises. The Ecumenical Advocacy...
21. November 07
Churches rush aid to Bangladesh cyclone victims
Churches in Bangladesh have launched a massive relief effort for victims of the devastating cyclone that has claimed thousands of lives along the country's southwestern coast. Read the featured article by ENI.
15. November 07
Greed, overproduction and over-consumption are sinful, say African Christians
A severe reminder "of the wealth that was built and sustained on the continued extraction and plunder of Africa's resources as well as on the exploitation of Africa's people" was addressed to Christians in the global North by the participants in the African ecumenical consultation "Linking poverty, wealth and ecology" last week.
3. October 07
WCC congratulates Metropolitan Mar Irenaeus, new head of the Mar Thoma Church
On the occasion of Dr Joseph Mar Irenaeus' enthronement as Malankara Mar Thoma Metropolitan on 2 October 2007, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia extended the Council's "hearty congratulations, prayers and best wishes".
28. September 07
Philippine government is not curbing extrajudicial killings, WCC says
Measures implemented by the Philippine government in regard to extrajudicial killings in the country will not prevent these, affirmed the World Council of Churches (WCC) at the UN Human Rights Council's 6th session held in Geneva from 10-28 September 2007.
28. September 07
US Christian leaders met Iranian president Ahmadinejad
In an effort to promote dialogue as an alternative to a possible military confrontation between Iran and the United States, the World Council of Churches (WCC) co-sponsored a discussion between Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and nearly 140 people of faith from across the United States.