‘Afghanistan Replaces North Korea As 1st Persecution Nation For Christians’
Christian advocacy group Open Doors said Wednesday that Afghanistan had replaced North Korea as the worst country for Christians on its annual World Watch List (WWL).
India
India: Christians under attack in Karnataka state
Christians in India’s Karnataka state came under a surge of violent attacks by Hindu extremists during the Christmas period last month, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Joining other Indian states, Karnataka has passed a new anti-conversion law that has reportedly encouraged Hindu nationalists to attack believers they falsely accuse of forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity.
Republicans push for greater access to COVID therapeutics
Republicans are pushing for greater access to monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19 after the federal government took over the distribution of such drugs last year.
India: Nine Christians imprisoned on false charges of forced conversion
Nine Christians in India’s Madhya Pradesh state are in prison awaiting trial on false charges of forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported on January 15. Persecution against Christians in India has steadily increased since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2014.
India: Mob of Hindu extremists attack house church in Chhattisgarh state
As the persecution of Christians continues to intensify across India, a house church in Chhattisgarh state was violently attacked by a mob of 200 Hindu nationalists on January 9, International Chrisitan Concern (ICC) reports.
Congress to vote on ‘Global Respect Act’ which denies US visas for ‘foreign LGBT rights violators’
Congress is preparing to vote on the Global Respect Act (GRA), a measure which supporters say holds to account foreign violators of LGBT human rights by denying them entry to America, but which critics say advances a far-left agenda against countries and faith groups that uphold traditional beliefs on gender and sexuality.
400 million Christians live in countries where churches are persecuted
Over 400 million Christians live in countries that persecute churches, ACS-Italia, the Italian chapter of Aid to the Church in Need, has assessed. The data also shows persecution of believers around the world is worsening, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
Islamic Militants Kill Six Christians In Kenya
Kenyan authorities say they are pursuing suspected Islamic militants who reportedly killed six Christians in southeastern Kenya.
India Charges Five Over Attacks At Christian School
Indian authorities have charged five suspects over the vandalism near a Christian school in central India during protests against the alleged conversion of Hindus to Christianity, rights activists confirmed Friday.
Afghan Christian refugees speak of their fear and anxiety
A family of Christian refugees who escaped Afghanistan after the Taliban took over last August has been speaking about their fear of being murdered before they could flee, and of anxiety about their uncertain future, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. The family’s full name cannot be given for security reasons.
52,000 Afghan evacuees released into U.S. in 2021
More than 50,000 Afghan evacuees have been processed and released into American communities over the last four months, the Department of Homeland Security said Friday as it announced the closure of another of the camps that had been erected at military bases to house the Afghans.
India persecution: Spate of Hindu attacks against Christianity over Christmas period
The intensifying persecution of believers by Hindu nationalists in India has now even caught the attention of mainstream international media, with the Guardian UK joining Christian organizations in reporting on a spate of attacks against Christianity in the country over the Christmas period.
India’s Southern Christians Fear Sad Christmas With Anti-Conversion Law
Christians in India’s southern state of Karnataka anticipated a sad Christmas as details emerged of a perceived “draconian” law proposal against religious conversions.
Church in Northern India Comes Under Attack
As Christians and their chuches in India continue to be harassed and assaulted by radical Hindu nationalists, a church in Rohtak in Haryana state came under attack on December 9, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
India State Tables Anti-Conversion Law Amid Anti-Christian Violence
Christians were concerned Wednesday as the Hindu-led government of India’s southwestern state of Karnataka was to table a harsh anti-conversion law amid attacks against churches.
Myanmar: Burmese Army plants landmines in destroyed churches
The Burmese Army in Myanmar’s Chin state has now taken to planting landmines inside the ruins of churches it has destroyed, in order to deter Christians from returning to rebuild the communities the junta has driven them out from, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Since the February 1 military coup, the Tatmadaw has been murdering and displacing Myanmar Christians in its efforts to violently impose Buddhism.
India: Hindu nationalist burn down Christian home
Hindu nationalists in Central India last month burned down the home of a Christian family that had been persecuted for years because of their faith, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Four states enlist National Guard to help battle health care staffing crisis
Four states – Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire and New York – are deploying the National Guard to battle the COVID-19 healthcare staffing shortage.
India Hindu Militants Seek More Attacks Against Church
Hindu militants threatened more attacks against a Christian congregation in India’s southern state of Karnataka if it continues services ahead of expected “anti-conversion” legislation.
Myanmar: Burmese Army continues violent campaign against churches
The Burmese Army (Tatmadaw) is continuing to attack and loot churches in Myanmar’s Christian-majority Chin state as part of a violent campaign to impose Buddhism in the country, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.