News

Shooting of witness threatens trial of Coptic Christians’ murderers

  February 19, 2015 Egypt Copts, Islamic extremism, Luxor, Upper Egypt

Taken during the funeral of Shahid Nasemis SaroufimWorld Watch Monitor   It’s happening several times a week now, particularly in the towns and villages of Upper Egypt. Just a brief news report, citing an isolated killing here and there of a Coptic Christian by “unknown gunmen.” Another statistic, usually just . . . Read More

India’s Modi breaks silence on protecting minorities, but urged to ‘walk the talk’

  February 18, 2015 India BJP, Delhi, Hindu nationalism, Kerala, Narendra Modi, Vishva Hindu Parishad

Indian Prime Minister Modi shakes hand wtih Cardinal Alencherry while holding a memento of twin saintsWorld Watch Monitor   Critics of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were ‘pleasantly surprised’ by his unequivocal assertion of the right to freedom of religion while addressing a major church event in New Delhi on . . . Read More

Fears growing for two South Sudan pastors held by Sudan intelligence

  February 18, 2015 Khartoum, Protestants, South Sudan

Fears are growing for the welfare of two South Sudanese church leaders who are being held in unknown locations by Sudan’s intelligence services. Pastor Yat Michael and Pastor Peter Yen (also named as David Yein Reith in some reports) have now each been held for over a month after being . . . Read More

Egypt seeks international help against IS after 21 Christians beheaded

  February 16, 2015 Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Al-Azhar, Bishop Angaelos, Churches, Copts, Egypt, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Libya, Minya, Samalut, Terrorism, Wahhabism

Egypt began seven days of national mourning after Islamist militants released a graphic video on 15 February, depicting the mass beheading of 20 Coptic Christians and a Ghanaian Christian in Libya. Originally it was believed that all 21 men were Coptic Egyptians, but on 25 February MidEast Christian News confirmed . . . Read More

A battle lost, a campaign still to win

  February 16, 2015 Malaysia 'Allah', Catholics, Jill Ireland, Kuala Lumpur, Lawrence Andrew, Malaysia, Sarawak, Selangor, The Herald

After a seven-year legal battle, Malaysia’s courts finally ruled against him. As of Jan. 21, Rev. Lawrence Andrew no longer can call God by the name “Allah” in his Catholic weekly newspaper, the Herald. In a country of 30 million people that is 60 percent Muslim, the courts agreed “Allah” . . . Read More

Kachin rebels snub Myanmar ceasefire deal after women’s murders

  February 13, 2015 Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, Baptists, Converts, Kachin, Karen, Marriage, Minorities, Myanmar, Panglong, Rape, Shan, Women

What most people know about Myanmar is that Aung San Suu Kyi has been prevented from becoming its leader, despite her overwhelming popularity. That may finally change in elections later this year. Myanmar is made up of eight major ethnic groups, who all hoped for autonomy after gaining independence after . . . Read More

Boko Haram’s attacks spread into Niger sparking mass exodus

  February 13, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Diffa, Islamic extremism, Lake Chad, Niamey, Niger, Nigeria, UN, Zinder

Nigeria’s neighbour to its north, French-speaking Niger, is the latest country to pledge its army will fight the radical Islamic group, Boko Haram. Boko Haram’s military and strategic advance has already provoked the postponement of Nigeria’s Presidential election, due to have been held this Saturday, 14 February. The election is . . . Read More

Organised crime is making life worse for Latin America Christians

  February 8, 2015 Bolivia, Central America, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, ELN, Evo Morales, FARC, Guatemala, Honduras, Latin America, Mexico, Nicaragua, Organised crime, Pentecostals, Venezuela

About one-quarter of the world’s Christians live in Latin America and, apart from in Colombia, most have enjoyed wide freedom to live out their faith. Christian life in Latin America is getting a bit more difficult, however, according to Open Doors International, creator of the World Watch List. The annual . . . Read More

Indian bureaucrat convert to challenge preaching ban

  February 3, 2015 India Bangalore, Chennai, Converts, Ghar Wapsi, Hindu Munnani, Hindu nationalism, India, Proselytism, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand

Chellakani Umashankar, an elite Indian bureaucrat in southern Tamil Nadu state, has decided to challenge the order by the government of southern Tamil Nadu state that asked him to stop preaching and cancel his evangelical conventions. “This is nonsense. I am going to challenge it in the court” 51-year-old Umashankar, . . . Read More

Iraqi Christians still held by Islamic State ‘against their will’

  February 1, 2015 Iraq Erbil, Iraq, Islamic State, Kirkuk, Mosul, Peshmerga, Qaraqosh, Refugees

More news has emerged about the situation of Christians who are still being detained in Islamic State after ten elderly Christians, some with disabilities, managed to escape. The group, eight men and two women, were ‘expelled’ by IS militants for refusing to convert to Islam. They spent two days travelling . . . Read More