Staff writer

Commonwealth heads of government must tackle freedom of religion, says persecution charity
Open Doors, which serves persecuted Christians around the world, has called on the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to put freedom of religion and belief at the heart of their discussions.

Aid agencies warn of Congo humanitarian disaster
Millions of people caught up in a humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo risk rising levels of hunger, death and disease due to a lack of aid funding, a coalition of humanitarian organisations warned ahead of a conference in Geneva today.

In a world at war, 8 Bible verses about peace
In a world of conflict, here are eight verses about peace from the Old Testament.

Do not escalate violence in Syria, Church in Wales warns UK government
The Church in Wales has called for a concerted diplomatic approach instead of military intervention in response to the suspected chemical attack in Syria.

Finding the one: Most millennials want to marry, research suggests
Most millienials want to marry, new research suggest, despite rapidly falling marriage rates and rises in co-habitation.

Millions to be without electricity by 2030, report warns
Double the population of the USA and the UK will be without electricity by 2030 unless governments invest more in renewable energy, a new report is warning.

On this day: Christendom's shame, the sack of Constantinople
On this day in 1204, the Crusaders decided that instead of pursuing the Holy Land they would sack the Byzantine city of Constantinople instead, with tens of thousands of subsequent deaths.

Alex Malarkey, the boy who didn't come back from heaven, sues publishers Tyndale House
Alex Malarkey, who became famous as 'The boy who came back from heaven' after he nearly died in a car accident, is suing the publishers of the book that made him famous because he was paid nothing for the story.

Chibok 4 years on: Why there's still no celebration for the rescued schoolgirls
Half of the girls abducted from the school in Chibok, Nigeria on April 14, 2014 remain in captivity â but parents whose children have returned won't be celebrating until they are all free.

Traditional antisemitism is thriving on far right and left, study finds
European Jews are experiencing widespread feelings of insecurity because of the resurgence of the extreme right, anti-Zionism on the left and radical Islam, according to a global study of antisemitism.

Are the winds of war blowing into Gaza?
In Israel, the defence minister, Avigdor Lieberman, has praised the Israeli soldiers who filmed themselves shooting at an unarmed Palestinian protester behind the border fence to Gaza, saying the sniper 'deserved a medal'.

Archbishop of Canterbury: Journalists are 'indispensable' to modern Britain
The archbishop of Canterbury has said 'there is nothing more important' than a free press holding people to account.

Bill Hybels resigns from Willow Creek after misconduct allegations
Willow Creek founder Bill Hybels has stepped down from his position following allegations of inappropriate behaviour with women over several decades.

Occam's Razor: The Christian philosopher who made things simple
Today is the Anglican feast day of William of Ockham, a medieval theologian famous for the 'razor' that also bears his name. Who was he and what did he teach?

Easter brought spate of violent attacks on Christians in India
Christians in India were subjected to a series of violent attacks by Hindu radicals during and after Holy Week, highlighted by International Christian Concern (ICC).

Number of Christians in Gaza plummeting, warns Catholic priest in the Strip
The number of Christians in the Gaza Strip has plummeted from 4,500 to just 1,000 in the past six years, due to the harsh conditions there, according to the pastor of the territory's sole Catholic church.