Asia
Pakistan: persecution in churches and prisons
On 17 December, two suicide bombers targeted a Methodist church in Quetta, leaving nine dead and over fifty injured. Only one managed to detonate his vest: the second was killed by security forces.…
Iraq: victory parade
On 9 December, Iraqi forces recaptured the last areas still under IS control along the Syrian border and secured the western desert. This ended the war against the militants, three years after they…
Iran: Boris Johnson's visit
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s court case, at which she was expected to have her jail sentence extended, was postponed following the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Iran. Boris Johnson has said he held ‘worthwhile’ meetings in…
Philippines: Christian city gives refuge to Muslim refugees
In October Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi city liberated from the terrorists led by Malaysian Mahmud bin Ahmad. Marawi is now battle-scarred and broken, after two months of fierce fighting destroyed half…
Syria: Putin vows to rebuild Syria’s faith communities
President Putin told representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church: ‘Over the past few years the Russian state, alongside the Russian Orthodox Church and other religious organisations, has provided humanitarian aid to Syria. It…
Indonesia: new eruption threat
In September we reported that 122,500 people had been evacuated to locations outside a 7.5-mile exclusion area around Bali's Mount Agung volcano as magma rose during hundreds of daily tremors (see ). On…
Myanmar: humanitarian crisis
Aid agencies are appealing for food, medicine, and construction materials for shelters as the latest round of violence against Rohingyas continues. One agency writes, ‘The situation constantly changes; we are delivering long-term aid…
Pakistan: a missionary’s message
‘Nawaz Sharif has been ousted from government several times, but he has returned to Pakistan, leaving his wife in an English hospital dying of cancer. The High Court ousted him on corruption charges,…
Abandoned Devotions Conference (Chiang Mai, Thailand)
“If you are a Christian leader, you would undoubtedly be blessed at this conference! The deepening of the spiritual life, and it’s resulting vitality, is a keynote message that the Holy Spirit is…
Saudi Arabia - Is a door opening?
Is a Door Opening for Christianity in Saudi Arabia? (Worthy News) - Stunning political developments in Saudi Arabia have some wondering if the strict Muslim-ruled Kingdom could become more tolerant of Christianity. Saudi…
