Asia
Maldives: rising extremism
Behind the facade of a ‘tropical paradise’ are tragic realities: the highest divorce rate in the world, rising crime, widespread child abuse, pervasive drug use and over 200 young people joining IS. All…
Pakistan: church saved, prayer groups grow
A prayer leader writes: ‘Many were praying for safety and no attacks during the Easter days. NL was a medical student who got involved with Daesh in Hyderabad and married a terrorist. Three…
Thousands of former Muslims baptised
Pastor Paul, director of Bibles for Mideast, writes: ‘My risen Lord Jesus Christ has saved my life once again, and I praise and thank God for His unspeakable grace! Certainly, I am not…
Iraq: dozens of enslaved Yazidis now free
Yazidis revere the Bible and Qu’ran; much of their centuries-old religion is oral. Thirty-six Yazidis are free after nearly three years’ captivity by IS. They are in UN centres in Dohuk, in Kurdish…
An Asian mission organisation asks for prayer
‘Our International Board meeting will take place from 27 to 30 April, in the Middle East. Our board members and the directors of our national offices in the UK, Holland, Germany, Australia, and…
Iran: election on 19 May
Ethnic Persians are born Muslim. It is illegal to run Christian activities in Farsi, the national language. Despite this, Christians from a Muslim background make up the largest group of Christians in Iran.…
Saudi Arabia elected to UN women’s rights commission
The United Nations voted late last week to place Saudi Arabia on the Commission on the Status of Women for a four-year term beginning in 2018, despite that country’s appalling record on the…
Trump's sabre-rattling, but North Korea has nothing to lose
Donald Trump said the US would consider any lever, diplomatic, economic or military, to forestall North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and tweeted, ‘North Korea is looking for trouble.’ But experts say Pyongyang’s latest missile…
Turkey: referendum vote divides country
Half of Turkey is celebrating a win in a national referendum, the rest demand a recount. President Tayyip Erdogan has claimed victory and sweeping new powers as head of government, head of state…
Easter in China
New Catholics are traditionally baptised on Easter Sunday. In recent years, there has been a large increase of baptisms in Catholic churches at Easter time. Chinese Catholic churches don't have an official connection…