*Nejnovější zprávy v originální anglické verzi jsou vždy zde (klikněte).

Egyptian troops attacked a Christian center for mentally and physically handicapped children and orphans Saturday, April 5. "Elements of the Egyptian army commanded by a high-ranking officer" attacked the Patmos Center about 20 miles east of Cairo, reported the Barnabas Fund. The incident comes amid concern among churches across the region about Muslim violence against Christians who are seen as "pro-American" as the conflict in nearby Iraq continues. Egyptian troops reportedly attacked with "armored vehicles, tear-gas bombs and a bulldozer . . . under the command of a lieutenant general." Workers at the center "bravely confronted the soldiers, parking their cars in front of the vehicles and even lying down in the path of the bulldozer in an effort to protect the center's perimeter wall from destruction." There were no reports of serious injuries among staff members or children; however, workers who have protested against five previous attacks in 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2002 have been "threatened and beaten." (Assist News Service)

MONGOLIA'S FIRST CHRISTIAN TV STATION SET TO BROADCAST THIS SUMMER

Eagle Television, Mongolia's first Christian TV station, plans to go the air in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar this summer with an emphasis on historical biblical dramas. The movie-length programs will be preceded with explanation about each Bible character, leading up to Jesus Christ. An estimated 100,000 viewers are expected to tune in to each program. General Director Tom Terry said the telephone number of the station's call center will appear on screen every 10 to 15 minutes, giving people the opportunity to talk with a trained telephone counselor about Christ. There will also be a text bar on the screen featuring viewers' comments about the show. "People will be allowed to say anything they want, even if it is not favorable," Terry said. Staff members will work with local pastors and area Christian groups to follow up new believers. The programs will also be educational for Christians. "Many Christians in Mongolia don't know the Old Testament stories or have an Old Testament perspective for the claims of Christ," Terry said. Sponsoring the station is the Americans in Mongolia (AMONG) Foundation based in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Assist/AMONG Foundation)

LATEST ATTACK PUTS SERBIAN PASTOR IN HOSPITAL WITH CONCUSSION

Seventh-day Adventist pastor Josip Tikvicki remains in the hospital with a concussion after being severely beaten the night of Tuesday, April 15, when he challenged people who were attacking his church in the city of Zrenjanin, Serbia. "This is the fifth such incident with Adventist churches in the last 10 days," said Radisa Antic, president of the church's South-East European Union. "We believe there is an orchestrated campaign against us." Such attacks, which are taking despite the current state of emergency, have left Serbia's Adventist community "threatened and insecure," he said. Human rights activist Sonja Biserko said the attacks are the product of 12 years of nationalism under former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic, and the last two years of uncontrolled media promotion of the Serbian Orthodox Church. "This has created a young generation which hates religious minorities," she said. (Forum 18 News Service)

600 TRUST CHRIST IN PERU VIA MINISTRY STARTED THROUGH RADIO OUTREACH

A Peruvian evangelistic mission has seen 600 people come to Christ through a series of meetings in recent months. Marino Huatangare, founder and director of New Life Evangelistic Mission in Peru, said the ministry conducted seven evangelistic meetings in the last six months, drawing an total attendance of more than 6,000. Of these, 600 made professions of faith, and 250 new believers took the additional step of baptism. The ministry began as a radio program in 1985. So many people responded that the leader began a church-planting ministry three years later. Today it has 300 congregations with more than 20,000 Peruvian believers, including people from the Kańari tribes, others from the Peruvian Andes, and some from the Aguaruna tribal people along the Amazon River. (Missions Insider)

* HCJB World Radio, together with local partners, has helped plant Christian radio stations in seven Peruvian cities. Affiliate stations in three cities also carry Spanish programming distributed by ALAS, the ministry's Latin American satellite radio network. In addition, HCJB World Radio holds training workshops for pastors across Peru through Apoyo, a joint effort with Leadership Resources International.

750,000 ATTEND BOOK FAIRS ON OPERATION MOBILIZATION SHIPS IN AFRICA

After a 13-month stay, visiting 20 ports in 14 countries, one of the ships in the Operation Mobilization fleet has left Africa. But not before more than 750,000 people visited the book fairs on the ships and another 100,000 attending onboard conferences. Right up to the last hours in Senegal, God was at work. Crew members had numerous opportunities to encourage many small groups of believers to grow in their faith and share the gospel boldly. (Mission Network News)

JAMES DOBSON STEPS DOWN AS PRESIDENT OF FOCUS ON THE FAMILY

James Dobson, longtime president of Focus on the Family, has decided to step down as president of the conservative Christian group but stay on as chairman. He will be succeeded by Don Hodel, former president of the Christian Coalition and a cabinet member in the Reagan administration, who becomes president on May 15. "This redefined responsibility will assure Dobson's continued leadership of the organization but without the burden of day-to-day management," the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based ministry announced. "It will allow him to spend more time on ministry objectives that only he can accomplish." Dobson, who founded Focus on the Family in 1977, will continue to host of the ministry's radio program. Hodel was the Christian Coalition's president from 1997 to 1999 and was energy secretary and interior secretary during Reagan's presidency. He has served on the ministry's board of directors since 1995. (Religion Today)

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