After the intervention of the Ethiopian troops, the situation in Somalia continues to be very tense, with the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) refusing a government offer for amnesty, say church agencies working in the region.

While a devastating armed conflict continues in western Sudan's Darfur region, the people of southern Sudan are beginning to recover from a 21-year civil war, according to Rob Haarsager, a country representative of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), the internationally respected North American peace church aid and development agency.

Church and development agencies are battling against more typhoons and heavy rains in their efforts to bring relief to poor communities across the central Philippines regions hit by last week's super typhoon.

The British-based international development agency Christian Aid has called on UK international development secretary Hilary Benn to continue to use his influence to lever more reform at the World Bank.