UK’s top court rules definition of a woman is based on biological sex
LONDON (AP) — The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a woman is someone born biologically female, excluding so-called “trans women” from the legal definition in a long-running dispute between a feminist group and the Scottish government.
An American pastor was abducted at gunpoint in South Africa while preaching a sermon
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A pastor was abducted by armed and masked men as he was preaching a sermon before a congregation in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, police said Friday.
Senate confirms Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted Wednesday (April 9) to confirm former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as the Trump Administration’s ambassador to Israel, two days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s White House visit.
The First Hymn: Resurrected third-century praise song set for pre-Easter release
LA MIRADA, Calif. (BP) – What was left of the hymn, archeologists found 100 years ago in ancient Egyptian ruins on a scrap of tattered papyrus, long buried by desert sand. The discovery was sealed in a climate-controlled vault at Oxford University until John Dickson came along.
Myanmar Baptists respond to chaos from earthquake, war
MANDALAY, Myanmar – The power is out here. So is water, telephone, internet in this city of 1.3 million people where 80 percent of the infrastructure (roads, bridges, power lines) have been destroyed and between 40 and 60 percent of the buildings damaged or destroyed by the 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar’s second-largest city and the region around it on March 28.
ERLC, others urge return of abducted Ukrainian children before peace talks
WASHINGTON (BP) – The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has joined dozens of faith leaders in a letter urging the Trump administration to ensure Russia returns to Ukraine nearly 20,000 abducted children before the U.S. continues peace talks.
Ukraine war zone enlists Christian ministry as spiritual first responders
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (BP) – The city of Zaporizhzhia is vulnerable to Russian attack, adjacent to cities in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast and a treasured nuclear power plant Russia captured since renewing its assault on Ukraine in February 2022.
Christian impact of Syrian violence unfolding as civilian death toll exceeds 1,500
LATAKIA, Syria (BP) – The number of Christians killed in the March 6 Alawite uprising and responsive attacks through March 9 is still unclear, but Christians have suffered collateral losses in sectarian violence that continues, Global Christian Relief (GCR) told Baptist Press.
Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group’s rule for 5 years
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's interim president on Thursday signed a temporary constitution that leaves the country under Islamist rule while promising to protect the rights of all Syrians for five years during a transitional phase.
Christian leaders seek pardon for Nigerian farmer given unjust death sentence
ADAMAWA STATE, Nigeria (BP) – Nigerian Christian leaders are seeking clemency for a Christian farmer given the death sentence for killing a Fulani herdsman during an attack on his farm, it was widely reported.
