Philippine human rights activists reiterated their call on the UN Human Rights Council to "keep pursuing our government to stop the extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations". The UN body is meeting in Geneva 2-18 June.

"Churches around the world are much encouraged" by the multilateral agreement on cluster munitions reached Wednesday in Dublin, and now look with expectation to "powerful governments that have not been at the negotiating table", said World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in a comment on the agreement today.

Amongst the widespread devastation disseminated by Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar theological institutions were not spared their share of damage and loss.

A wide array of justice movements around the world are challenging churches to create new kinds of spirituality that will sustain them as they struggle against empire.

"Both the China Christian Council and the Amity Foundation have immediately joined with the local governments, Sichuan Christian Council and other partners in the affected areas in relief and rehabilitation efforts" for the victims of the 12 May devastating earthquake which killed over 41,000 people and left some five million homeless. Also, Action by Churches Together (ACT) International has "began a process to mobilise its members in various...

Firsthand reports on the extraordinary development of Christianity in Nepal and the growing need for improvements in theological education and participation in the ecumenical movement were all part of recent consultation on the future of theological education in South Asia.

As the death toll of the tropical cyclone Nargis soars by the hour, the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Kobia expressed "great distress and sadness" in a condolence letter to the Myanmar Council of Churches. "The humanitarian aid arm of the WCC and its member churches, Action by Churches Together (ACT) initiated a process to mobilize its members in various countries to extend all possible humanitarian assistance to the...

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has congratulated President-elect Fernando Lugo on his victory in Paraguay's recent presidential election. In a letter dated 29 April, Kobia highlights Lugo's "commitment to the poorest and excluded", in tune with "the rich tradition of a Latin American Christianity which has struggled to follow Jesus amidst a reality marked by inequality and lack of justice".

(ENI) The Rev. Philip Potter, a former general secretary of the World Council of Churches, has been honoured by South Africa for his efforts to combat racism and apartheid in southern Africa.

Appreciation for the good work done by churches in the Gulf region was expressed by the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia at the end of a 17 to 19 April visit to the United Arab Emirates.