Machinery to repair roads has been sent through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip in preparation for the delivery of some of the aid stockpiled in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, two security sources said on Thursday. Rafah is the only crossing not controlled by Israel but has been out of operation since the first days of the conflict in Gaza following Israeli bombardments on the Palestinian side of the border. The USA and Egypt have been pushing for a deal with Israel to get aid delivered to Gaza, and on 18 October the White House said that it had been agreed for up to 20 trucks to pass through, with hopes for more later. Most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents depended on aid before the current conflict started on 7 October, and about 100 trucks daily were providing humanitarian relief to the enclave, according to the UN. At least that number are waiting close to the crossing, though it was not expected that aid would enter before 20 October. More aid is being held in the Egyptian city of Al Arish, some 45 km away. Benjamin Netanyahu's office has said Israel would not block aid for civilians entering Gaza from Egypt, as long as those supplies do not reach Hamas.

A Catholic healthcare clinic is challenging a Colorado law that forbids giving women a natural hormone to reverse the effects of the abortion pill and save a baby's life. Mother and daughter nurse practitioners Dede Chism and Abby Sinnett founded Bella Health and Wellness, a ‘life-affirming, dignified healthcare’ facility for men, women, and children. It is one of many healthcare clinics across the nation which offer progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone essential for maintaining a healthy pregnancy, to women at risk of miscarriage. But Colorado has now passed a law that prohibits clinics from offering progesterone in order to reverse the effects of the abortion pill, in spite of evidence of its safety and efficacy. Now, Chism and Sinnett say they run the risk of losing their medical licences and being liable to pay $20,000 per violation if they continue their ministry to pregnant women who seek their help. In September California's attorney general filed a lawsuit against two major pro-life pregnancy centres to stop them from advertising abortion pill reversal services, claiming that the natural hormone used to reverse the abortion pill is risky and ‘has no credible scientific backing’. However, the Abortion Pill Rescue Network (APRN) website says that there is a 64-68% success rate for women who follow their protocol, adding that ‘thousands of lives have been saved’.

Recent analysis of satellite and social media data reveals that at least 68 villages in Darfur have been set on fire by Sudanese armed militias since the civil war began in April. The UK minister for Africa, Andrew Mitchell, said this bore ‘all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing’ - the first time the government has used the term to describe what is happening in Sudan. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), said that he would cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring those guilty to justice. Much of the ethnic violence is blamed on militias which are part of - or affiliated to - the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group fighting the SAF for control of the country. The RSF has repeatedly denied any involvement in the violence in the region and has called for an independent international investigation. The analysis has been carried out by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), which uses Nasa heat-recognition technology and satellite images to identify fires and matches them with images on social media.

A court in Pakistan has sentenced a Muslim man to 25 years in prison for killing a Christian woman who rejected his marriage proposal. Muhammad Shahzad, also known as Shani, was sentenced in Islamabad for killing Sonia Allah Rakha, a 24-year-old Christian woman. The judge commended the police for their thorough investigation, which led to Shani’s conviction while acquitting three other accused individuals, the group said. Shanik shot Sonia on 30 November 2020, after her family declined his marriage proposal due to religious differences. He initially fled the scene but was later apprehended by the police.on. The victim’s family said that the accused had been harassing Sonia for the previous six months and had tried to force a physical relationship with her.

On 18 October Jim Jordan, a hard-line conservative and staunch ally of former president Donald Trump, lost a second bid to be elected as speaker of the House of Representatives. Jordan, a nine-term lawmaker from the midwestern state of Ohio, won only 199 Republican votes in the second round of voting, as 22 Republican colleagues voted for other lawmakers for the top position in the lower chamber of Congress. He also trailed Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, who won the votes of all 212 Democrats, although he has no chance of becoming speaker of the chamber that is narrowly led by Republicans. Since Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker two weeks ago, the House has been rudderless. It has been unable to consider any legislation, such as a spending measure to avert a partial government shutdown when current funding runs out on 17 November, or a straightforward, bipartisan resolution to support Israel after the attack by Hamas militants. With Jordan’s defeat, it is not immediately clear what steps the House might take next to fill the speakership.

The USA is easing sanctions on Venezuela after the government and opposition agreed on 17 October to have next year's election monitored by international observers. They also promised to give all candidates access to public and private media, and to guarantee their free and safe movement throughout the country. In addition, the two sides have agreed to update the voter registries, to ensure that the millions of Venezuelans who have emigrated can exercise their right to vote. But the opposition and the government still disagree on whether the agreement allows for the exclusion of opposition frontrunner María Corina Machado. US sanctions will be eased on Venezuela's oil, gas and gold sectors, but other sanctions imposed over the suppression of protests and the erosion of democracy remain in place. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also called for the release of ‘all wrongfully detained US nationals and Venezuelan political prisoners’.

Loren Cunningham, the founder of Youth With A Mission (YWAM), passed away at 88 on 6 October. He holds the unique distinction of being the first person to journey to every sovereign nation, dependent territory, and over 100 other regions, fulfilling the Great Commission's call. He revolutionised missions by enabling young people to serve globally, short-term, interdenominationally, and without pay. YWAM, founded in 1960, has expanded to reach every nation through evangelism, training, and mercy missions. Despite its status as one of the world's largest mission movements, Loren always attributed its success to Jesus. Under his leadership, YWAM launched global initiatives like King’s Kids International, the University of the Nations, and YWAM Ships. He leaves behind a profound legacy, inspiring generations to continue his mission of spreading God's love worldwide.

On 11 October, a long-awaited day, St Ephrem Church in Istanbul was opened - the first Christian place of worship to be built in Türkiye in a hundred years. Around 20,000 Syriac Orthodox live in the metropolis, but until now they had only one church. Archbishop Yusuf Cetin said: ‘At some big ceremonies, more than half of the congregation stood outside. That is difficult when it is very cold or very hot. That's why in 2010 years ago we visited the president and the prime minister and started a dialogue.’ Following this, the congregation was allocated a plot of land and bureaucratic hurdles were overcome. These included a court case with the Catholic community in the area. However, if you ask the Catholics in Istanbul today, there is no longer any talk of a dispute. The building of the church is a historic event, says Fr Claudio Monge: ‘Not only all Christians, but also all those who have worked for an inclusive country that respects diversity and considers it an enrichment, can only rejoice!’

Sound of Freedom is a film whose director, producer, and main star are all Catholics. Inspired by a true story about child trafficking, it emphasises themes of piety and divine calling. The plot follows a security agent who rescues a boy from ruthless traffickers, only to discover that the boy's sister remains in captivity. He quits his job and embarks on a treacherous journey into the Colombian jungle to save her, risking his life for a noble cause. As his sense of purpose intensifies, he is portrayed with a saintly aura, delivering messages like ‘God's children are not for sale’. The film has been praised for avoiding certain clichés often associated with ‘Christian’ movies. It has found success at the box office, ranking second behind Mission Impossible in its opening week. Its strong message resonates with audiences and highlights the importance of combating child trafficking while staying true to one's faith and convictions. For more information, see

The British royal family has publicly condemned Hamas as terrorists and expressed their dismay at the attacks on Israel. King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales have all criticised the group's actions. The comments come as the BBC faces pressure to refer to Hamas as terrorists rather than militants. The controversy regarding this reluctance has sparked debate among political figures and former executives. The BBC has defended its stance, stating that using the term ‘terrorist’ could compromise journalistic impartiality. Critics argue that by not using the term, the BBC is taking sides, and claim that it fails to accurately report acts of terrorism and war crimes. Despite the debate, the royal family remains focused on supporting interfaith and inter-community dialogue and promoting peace and understanding in challenging times. The King has a history of engaging in peace efforts in the region, including visits to Israel and the West Bank.