60.5% of South Sudan’s population is Christian, with over 60 different major ethnic groups. South Sudan split from the predominantly Islamic north in 2011 and was expected to prosper as the split meant it inherited most of Sudan's oil wealth. But civil war has robbed the nation, killed thousands, and left tens of thousands in need of humanitarian aid. Now a report by UN human rights investigators says that over 40 South Sudanese officials, including military generals and state governors, may be guilty of crimes against humanity, (rape, murder of civilians, and conscripting child soldiers). The report says, ‘Children have been recruited and forced to kill civilians. In many cases they have watched loved ones raped or killed. The scale of the hunger and destruction inflicted on the country by its political and military leaders defies description.’

Recently the Egyptian army and police launched a comprehensive anti-terrorism operation in the Sinai peninsula ahead of the 26-28 March elections in which President al-Sisi will be running for a second term. A spokesman said intelligence information revealed that extremist groups were planning to carry out terrorist attacks across Egypt during the election, to erode citizens’ trust in the state’s ability to secure the country and to prevent them from casting their votes. Armed groups are concentrated in three cities, Rafah, Sheikh Zuweid and el-Arish, deep in the desert. Classes have been indefinitely suspended in all schools in the area. The roads linking north Sinai to the other governorates and the governorate cities to each other were closed, forcing residents to stay at home and making it difficult for university students to travel.

The Jordanian and Palestinian governments supported a decision by Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox leaders to close Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity’s holiest sites, because of a ‘systematic campaign of abuse’ directed at their community. Many Christians believe the church to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Millions of pilgrims visit every year. This decision was based on several issues, including a bill allowing the government to take over church properties leased to private companies; it also intends to begin imposing taxes on church properties. Under a 2013 agreement, Jordan's King Abdullah II is the custodian of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. A Jordanian government spokesman expressed his country's ‘full solidarity’ with the churches, saying the Israeli law violates international and humanitarian laws, and called on the Israeli government to ‘immediately reverse the decisions taken against churches.’

Worldwide, there are approximately 42 milion victims of abortion each year. That's more people than the entire population of Iraq being killed. Abortion is not confined to one region or people group. It is a global tragedy, with roughly 83% of all abortions taking place in developing countries and 17% in the developed world. That is why it is called the silent Holocaust. 40 Days for Life continues until 25 March. This is a unified time of prayer and fasting for God's mercy, healing, and restoration - that He would bring an end to abortion. Multitudes around the world are crying out to God for an end to the shedding of innocent blood. Prayer Alert readers are invited to cry out to God for the lives of those not yet born to have a future and a hope.

The federal court has recently decided to allow four Christians who converted from Islam to begin to take steps to have their conversions from Islam legally recognised and have the word Islam removed from their identity cards. When this decision was announced on 28 February, the solicitor for the Christians began to receive death threats. Although the constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the right to propagate it, there has been a pattern of religious discrimination in Malaysia. Now that this ‘apostasy’ case has been heard, it could uphold the constitution, clarifying a Muslim’s right to convert to other religions including Christianity. If the next hearing allows them to be registered as Christians, it could lead to amending the law and making it clearer for future cases. Meanwhile Baru Bian, their lawyer, continues to receive death threats. See

At least 13 people were killed on 26 February in clashes between Christians and Muslims in Kasuwan Magani community in Kaduna state, central Nigeria. Many houses and shops were burnt down. Twenty suspects have been arrested and extra police have been put on the streets to try to quell the violence. ‘The place is currently calm. I was in the village yesterday to implore the community and traditional leaders to direct the warring youths to sheath their swords,’ said the state police commissioner. ‘We don't want to jump to conclusions as to what led to the mayhem. Speculation was that some Christian boys were unhappy that their girls are befriending Muslim boys.’ Local reports indicate the death toll is higher than the police have reported.

World News recently published an article highlighting what Christian broadcasters are doing to contribute to the fastest growing evangelical population on the planet. Iran Alive Ministries broadcast Christian programmes across the region, and Dr Hormoz Shariat, the president and founder, has been called ‘the Billy Graham of Iran’. Millions of Iranians refer to him as ‘my pastor’ as he speaks to them in their living rooms each evening on satellite television. In recent months, protests have broken out all over Iran, with people marching in the streets against their government. Dr Hormoz helped listeners outside and inside Iran to understand what the protests mean. He encouraged Christians in Iran to use the protests as an opportunity to share the gospel; in doing this Iranians saw even more people come to Christ. See also

Billy Graham died on 21 February, aged 99. No-one will ever be able to calculate the extent of the blessing he has been to hundreds of millions of men and women, from possibly every country in the world, who were put on God’s path for them through his ministry. To listen to a tribute to Billy Graham presented by UCB, click the ‘More’ button.

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) recently called for doctor-assisted dying to be legalised, ‘to reflect public support’. They said assisted suicide works well in other countries. However, there are increasing reports of involuntary euthanasia in countries like Belgium and the Netherlands, and euthanasia is being extended to minor and non-life-threatening conditions. Consequently the elderly and vulnerable are now fearful of going into hospital. In the UK, doctors are said to be 2:1 against the legalisation of assisted suicide. However a poll on the BMJ website asking whether doctor-assisted dying should be legalised claimed that 59% voted Yes and 41% No. It is possible that this figure was manipulated to produce the desired result; some responders voting No were told their vote was not accepted due to a technical hitch. Activists are calling for doctor-assisted dying to become legal for those with six months to live, even though it is difficult to predict life expectancy.

NSPCC reports that child sex crime allegations have reached a record high in the UK, with an average of 177 cases recorded every day in 2016-17 - an increase of 15% on the previous year. Offences included rape, sexual assault and grooming. In almost 14,000 cases, the complainant was aged ten or under, with 2,788 of the alleged offences perpetrated against children aged four or under. In 10% of cases, there was an online element involved. NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said, ‘This dramatic rise is extremely concerning and shows just how extensive child sexual abuse is. These abhorrent crimes can shatter a child's life and leave them feeling humiliated, depressed or even suicidal. Every single child who has endured abuse needs support so that they can learn to rebuild their lives.’ Online groomers are a major problem.