News

Enterprising Christians see hope, despite Syria’s five years of war

  March 15, 2016 Syria Civil War, Damascus, IDPs, Refugees, Syria

Of an estimated population of 17 million in Syria, 11 million have either left the country or been internally displaced by the civil war which ‘officially’ enters its 5th year today, 15th March. This was when protests began in Deraa, which quickly led to the spiral down into civil war. . . . Read More

US lawmakers accuse IS of genocide

  March 15, 2016 Barack Obama, Bashar al-Assad, Genocide, Iraq, Islamic State, Syria, USA, Yazidis

The U.S. House of Representatives has joined the growing number of voices in Western capitals accusing the so-called Islamic State of genocide. In a 393-0 vote 14 March, the House declared “the atrocities perpetrated by ISIL against Christians, Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria constitute . . . Read More

UPDATE: Hundreds killed in Nigeria attacks

  March 11, 2016 Nigeria Abuja, Agatu, Benue, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria

On the night of Feb 21, at least 500 people were killed in the mainly Christian area of Agatu in the central Benue state of Nigeria. That’s according to local sources, although the figure could rise even higher – due to continuing violence and the fact that locals and relief . . . Read More

Egypt: ‘suicide’ claim for third Christian conscript in nine months

  March 8, 2016 Egypt Asyut, Conscripts, Copts, Egypt

Another Egyptian Christian conscript has died in suspicious circumstances. Michael Gamal, 22, was due to finish his two-year compulsory military service this May, when his family heard the shock news of his ‘suicide’. Last time his family heard from him was Feb 15. “As often, we talked over the phone. . . . Read More

Gunmen kill 4 nuns and 12 others in Yemen

  March 7, 2016 Yemen Aden, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Ansar al-Sharia, Hodeidah, Houthis, Islamic State, Kidnapping, Sana'a, Taiz, Tom Uzhunnalil

Four Catholic nuns from the late Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity were among 16 victims killed by six unidentified gunmen at a home for the elderly in Yemen’s southern port city of Aden. The four missionary nurses were serving breakfast to the home’s 80 residents on 4 March when armed . . . Read More

Christians fleeing Pakistan are stuck in Thailand

  March 4, 2016 Asylum seekers, Bangkok, Burial, Gojra, Lord Alton, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, UK, UN

A Thai immigration police officer directs Pakistani refugees released on bail to a waiting bus after their detention at the Immigration detention centre in Bangkok in June 2011. AFP PHOTO/ Nicolas ASFOURI / Getty Images What just happened A group of members of Britain’s Parliament on 24 Feb. urged their . . . Read More

Coptic headmistress denied promotion ‘for being Christian’

  March 2, 2016 Egypt Copts, Minya

An Egyptian headmistress is not being instated in her post “because she’s a Christian.” This is the claim surrounding the case of Mervat Sefein, a vocational teacher in Beni Mazar, a town of Minya, 220 km south of Cairo. Sefein was included on a Feb. 8 Egyptian Ministry of Education . . . Read More

Pakistan hangs killer of Governor who challenged blasphemy law

  February 29, 2016 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Salmaan Taseer, Shaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti

Pakistan has executed the murderer of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who had justified the 2011 assassination upon Taseer’s desire for reforms in the blasphemy law, and for his support of Asia Noreen, a Christian woman condemned to death for blasphemy. Mumtaz Qadri was hanged early today (Monday,  29 Feb.), after . . . Read More

Calais ‘Jungle’ camp demolition to begin

  February 25, 2016 Calais, Europe, France, Grande-Synthe, Migrants, Refugees, Trauma

Local authorities want to move migrants either into more hygienic quarters within converted shipping containers, or to refugee centres across France.Courtesy Marguerite M. Horner   French authorities have been told that they can demolish the southern part of the Calais migrant camp known as the “Jungle”. Calais is one of . . . Read More

Turkey backs down on closing Bursa’s only church

  February 24, 2016 Turkey Bursa, Churches, Converts, Greek Orthodox, Protestants, Sunni, Turkey

The local government of the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa ordered that its only church, which serves four congregations, be vacated by Friday (26 Feb.) before rescinding the order on Tuesday. Ismail Kulakcioglu, the pastor of the Protestant congregation, said they were given less than a week to vacate the . . . Read More