News

‘White Widow’ key suspect in Kenyan pastors’ murders

  November 21, 2013 Kenya Al-Shabaab, East Africa, Kenya, Mombasa, Nairobi, Pentecostals, Westgate

Fort Jesus, Mombasa.Ricky Thakrar / Flickr / Creative Commons   The widow of one of the bombers on the London Tube in July 2005, 29-year-old Samantha Lewthwaite, has been named in connection with the murders of two Kenyan pastors. Lewthwaite is wanted for seven murders in Kenya altogether, including the . . . Read More

Ban Ki-moon warns Central African Republic ‘spiralling into anarchy’

  November 20, 2013 Central African Republic African Union, Michel Djotodia, Seleka, UN

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, pictured in 2012.Africa Renewal / Flickr / Creative Commons The UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon said on Monday (Nov. 18) that anarchy in the Central African Republic risks spiralling further out of control, and could need up to 9,000 peacekeepers. In a . . . Read More

Book review: ‘The Global War on Christians’

  November 19, 2013 Global News -- No Particular Country Africa, Asia, Buddhist nationalism, Burundi, Colombia, Eastern Europe, Eritrea, Hindu nationalism, Islamic extremism, Kenya, Latin America, Middle East, Organised crime, Philippines

It has been an astonishing last 12 months for books on the persecution of Christians when there has been such silence on the issue for so long. First came ‘Christianophobia: A Faith Under Attack’ in late 2012; then the more simply titled, ‘Persecuted: the Global Assault on Christians’ in March . . . Read More

French priest ‘kidnapped’ by Nigeria’s Boko Haram in Cameroon

  November 19, 2013 Cameroon Ansaru, Boko Haram, Georges Vandenbeusch, Katsina, Kidnapping, Nguetchewe, Nigeria, Sahel

A French priest abducted in northern Cameroon is said to be in the hands of Boko Haram. “I can confirm that the French priest is in the hands of Mujahideen [fighters] from Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad [Boko Haram’s Arabic name], who carried out the operation that was co-ordinated with Ansaru,” an . . . Read More

Turkish pastor arrested on human trafficking accusations

  November 15, 2013 Turkey Orhan Picaklar, Protestants, Refugees

Pastor Orhan Picaklar was arrested on Monday.Samsun Agape Church   A Turkish Protestant pastor arrested by police in the Black Sea province of Samsun this week is accused of involvement in prostitution and the human trafficking of refugees. Pastor Orhan Picaklar of the Samsun Agape Church was summoned to local . . . Read More

Christians face extinction in Middle East, warns UK Minister

  November 15, 2013 Baroness Warsi, David Cameron, Human rights, Middle East, Pakistan, UK

Baroness Warsi on a visit to Pakistan in 2010.DFID / Flickr / Creative Commons   A UK Foreign Office Minister has warned that Christians in some parts of the world face extinction because of violence against them. Ahead of a speech on Friday, Nov. 15 at Georgetown University in Washington, . . . Read More

All eyes on Sri Lanka as Commonwealth summit begins

  November 15, 2013 Sri Lanka Anti-conversion law, Bodu Bala Sena, Buddhist nationalism, Colombo, Commonwealth, Human rights

Sri Lanka’s human rights record has been questioned as a Commonwealth summit takes place in Colombo. Several Commonwealth leaders have boycotted the event, while British Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to ask “tough questions” of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. One of his lines of questioning may focus on . . . Read More

Church welcomes US designation of Boko Haram as Foreign Terrorist Organisation

  November 15, 2013 Nigeria Adamawa, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansaru, Boko Haram, Borno, Christian Association of Nigeria, Terrorism, Yobe

One of the major organisations representing Christians in Nigeria has welcomed the US State Department’s announcement on Nov 13 that it has designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist group (FTO). The Department also classified its splinter group Ansaru as an FTO. Boko Haram is believed to have links to Al-Qaeda . . . Read More

Number of Christian martyrs continues to cause debate

  November 13, 2013 Global News -- No Particular Country Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Peshawar, Sudan, Syria

Ninety-six Christians died in the twin attacks on All Saints Church in Peshawar.World Watch Monitor   The debate over the precise number of Christians martyred each year continues. In May, a Vatican spokesman told the United Nations Human Rights Council that as many as 100,000 Christians are martyred each year. . . . Read More

China asks Church for help with social care

  November 11, 2013 China Beijing, Corruption, Shanghai, Sichuan

China is facing a social care crisis, particularly in caring for an increasingly elderly population.Richard Asia / Flickr / Creative Commons   The Chinese government has welcomed the role of the Church in providing social care in the country. China’s leaders have been holding a meeting this week in Beijing . . . Read More