China Releases House Church Christians
Amid international pressure Chinese authorities have released early the last 16 Christians of a house church group who remained detained in Henan province, their supporters confirmed Monday, May 25.
Year: 2009
Asian Mission Group Mourns Death US Missionary Leader
A key Asian mission group mourned Sunday, May 24, the death of Ralph Winter the founder of the U.S. Center for World Missions and, later, William Carey International University. He was 84.
Burma Military Involved In Massive Rape And Discrimination, investigators claim
United Nations officials on Saturday, May 23, remained concerned over the situation of Burma’s political prisoners, including detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as Christian rights investigators reported fresh evidence of”human rights violations” by the ruling military in the country.
Outrage Over US Military Bible Burnings In Afghanistan
The president of a US-based group helping Christians persecuted for their faith has expressed outrage that United States military personnel have burned confiscated Bibles in Afghanistan.
Egypt Detains Brazilian Tourists Over Pro-Israel Materials, report
A group of Brazilian tourists was arrested in Egypt for carrying pro-Israel material, a Jewish news agency reported Thursday, May 21.
BREAKING NEWS: FBI Foils New York Terror Attack
Four men have been detained for allegedly planning to bomb a synagogue and a Jewish community center in the Bronx area of New York City and were expected to appear in federal court Thursday, May 21, police officials said.
Concerns Over Detained Egypt Priest Amid Attacks
Representatives of Egypt’s Christian minority, already rocked by several attacks in recent weeks, continued their attempts Wednesday, May 20 to obtain the release of a priest they say was sentenced to five years hard labor for crimes he did not commit.
BREAKING NEWS: Al-Qaeda-linked Group Beheads Kidnapped Christian Farmer
An elderly Christian farmer who was abducted in the Philippines nearly a month ago has been beheaded by a group with links to the Al-Qaeda terror group, the latest in a series of attacks against Christians, rights investigators confirmed Tuesday, May 19.
Over Thousand Muslim Clerics Watch Gospel Film In Syria (Investigation)
A film about the life of the biblical Apostle Paul, which “clearly reflects the Gospel,” has been watched in Syria by over a thousand Muslim clerics and politicians, including a government minister, organizers said.
European Union Budget Chief Wins in a Landslide in Lithuania
The European Union’s budget commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite has won Lithuania’s presidential election getting roughly 69 percent of the vote according to official results.
Christians In Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan Face New Restrictions
Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliev was to receive for signing the final version of controversial legislation “limiting freedom of religion” while Christians elsewhere in Central Asia faced similar restrictions Saturday, May 16, rights investigators and local believers said.
India Police Abuse Elderly Pastor In Prison, Rights Group Says
An elderly Indian pastor was beaten and abused by local police while serving 20 days in prison on “false” charges of “bribing Hindus to convert,”according to Christian rights investigators.
Christians In Crossfire In Pakistan
Pakistan’s military on Thursday, May 14, continued pounding suspected positions of the militant Taliban group, which investigators say has created an atmosphere of hatred towards Christians and other religious minorities.
Czech Government Facing Challenge After Failed Energy Deal
The current European Union president, the Czech Republic, is under pressure to overcome failed talks with key former Soviet states on an energy deal. Negotiations on reducing Europe’s dependency on Russian natural gas are one of several key challenges facing the Czech Republic’s new government.
Mounting Concerns Over Detained Uzbekistan Pastor
An international protest was underway Tuesday, May 12, to obtain the release of a detained, frail, evangelical pastor in Uzbekistan, who came to symbolize what rights investigators described as widespread persecution of Christians and other minorities in Central Asia.
NEWS ALERT: Christian Women Still Detained In Iran After Reporter’s Release
A Britain-based Christian rights group has urged Iran’s government to relaese two female Christian converts who remained detained Tuesday, May 12, a day after an American-Iranian reporter was freed amid international pressure.
BREAKING NEWS: Iran Releases American Reporter
American Iranian free-lance journalist Roxana Saberi who reported for Vatican Radio, National Public Radio and other international media has been freed from a Tehran prison, amid international pressure, her attorney confirmed Monday, May 11.
Witnesses In Nun’s Rape Case Threatened; Refuse To Testify
Indian court proceedings underway Monday, May 11, against men who were allegedly involved
in gang raping a nun were overshadowed by indications that witnesses have been threatened not to accurately testify, observers said.
India Anti-Christian Group Sets Church On Fire
Evangelical Christians in India’s eastern state of Andhra Pradesh faced the difficult task Sunday, May 10, of rebuilding their church after suspected anti-Christian militants torched the building, the latest in a series of attacksagainst churches in the area, investigators said.
BREAKING NEWS: Christians Flee Taliban As Military Strikes Continue
Hundreds of thousands of people, including Christians, have fled Pakistan’s Taliban-controlled Swat Valley and nearby areas as the Pakistani military on Saturday, May 9, continued to pound suspected militant positions.