News

S. Sudan pastors accused of spying freed

  August 5, 2015 Peter Yen, South Sudan, Yat Michael

Two South Sudanese pastors on trial in Sudan for, amongst other things, “spying” have been freed by the Judge of Khartoum North Central Court, Ahmed Ghaboush. Had they been found guilty of this, they could have faced the death penalty. Yat Michael had taken his child to Khartoum for medical . . . Read More

Boko Haram attacks intensify in Nigeria & Cameroon

  August 2, 2015 Adamawa, Benin, Boko Haram, Borno, Cameroon, Chad, IDPs, Kidnapping, Maroua, Muhammadu Buhari, N'Djamena, Niger, Niger Delta, Nigeria, Refugees, West Africa

On 25 July, 20 people were killed when a 12-year-old girl blew herself up in a crowded bar in Maroua, northern Cameroon.World Watch Monitor   The radical Islamist group Boko Haram has intensified its suicide bombing attacks in northern Nigeria and Cameroon in recent weeks. On Friday (31 July) a . . . Read More

A convert’s story

  July 31, 2015 Ethiopia Addis Ababa, African Union, Apostasy, Converts, East Africa

U.S. President Barack Obama visited Kenya and Ethiopia 24-28 July, partly to discuss regional security. In Kenya especially, Christians have been targeted by the violent al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab. In the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on 28 July, making an American president’s first speech to the African Union, Obama said . . . Read More

Central African Republic – A forgotten crisis

  July 29, 2015 Central African Republic Anti-balaka, Bambari, Bangassou, Bria, Kaga Bandoro, Seleka, UN

On 25 July 2014, a ceasefire was signed between the two main warring groups in the Central African Republic: a predominantly Muslim rebel coalition known as Séléka, and violent vigilante groups who opposed their advance through the country, which became known as the “anti-Balaka” (“Balaka” means “machete”). A year later, . . . Read More

Obama visit puts Ethiopia’s record in spotlight

  July 28, 2015 Ethiopia Addis Ababa, African Union, Amhara, Bahir Dar, Barack Obama, Churches, Ethiopia, Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Human rights, Mahibere Kidusan, Pentecostals, Protestants

n Ethiopians walk past a poster of US President Barack Obama in Addis Ababa on 27 July. gettyimages.com U.S. President Barak Obama is visiting Ethiopia on 27 and 28 July, providing an opportunity for America to prod its ally on its human-rights record, which gets low marks from world capitals. . . . Read More

‘Saints of Bangui’ try to calm chaotic CAR

  July 27, 2015 Central African Republic Anti-balaka, Bria, Catherine Samba-Panza, Seleka

A year ago, on 25 July 2014, a ceasefire was signed between the two main warring groups in the Central African Republic:  a predominantly Muslim rebel coalition known as Séléka, and violent vigilante groups who opposed their advance through the country, which became known as the “anti-Balaka” (“Balaka” means “machete”). Three . . . Read More

Malaysian government gives back Ireland’s ‘Allah’ CDs

  July 24, 2015 Malaysia 'Allah', Jill Ireland, Kuala Lumpur

The Malaysian government conceded yesterday (23 July) that Jill Ireland has rightful ownership of eight Christian CDs confiscated from her seven years ago at a Kuala Lumpur airport because they contained the song titles used the word ‘Allah’ to refer to ‘God’. On 23 June, the Appeal Court ordered the . . . Read More

Niger churches ‘abandoned’ after Charlie Hebdo destruction

  July 23, 2015 Niger Baptists, Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Churches, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Niamey, Niger, Prophet Muhammad, Protestants, Trauma, West Africa, Zinder

In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, the churches in the predominantly Muslim West African nation of Niger experienced the worst attacks in their history. On the weekend of 16-17 January, hundreds of angry Islamists attacked and ransacked dozens of properties and churches, shouting “Allahu Akbar” (“Allah . . . Read More

Asia Bibi’s last chance for freedom

  July 22, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Multan, Prophet Muhammad, Sawan Masih, Shahbaz Bhatti, Sheikhupura

Pakistani Christian Aasiya Noreen (known as Asia Bibi) has been allowed to take her appeal against her death penalty for blasphemy to Pakistan’s Supreme Court in the capital, Islamabad. Until the Supreme Court reaches its final decision, Noreen cannot be executed. Commentators today have praised the Supreme Court for its courage to . . . Read More

Coptic boy’s Ramadan gesture ends in detention

  July 20, 2015 Egypt Alexandria, Blasphemy, Copts, Islamic extremism, Ramadan

At sundown each day during Ramadan, which ended on 17 July with the Eid-al-Fitr celebrations, observant Muslims customarily broke their fast at their evening iftar meal by eating dates. A week prior, on the evening of 10 July, 16-year-old Fawzi Osama was on the street in the northern Egyptian city . . . Read More