Asia/Pacific

BosNewsLife Asia Service with BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- A frail elderly Christian man, known for his work among reportedly persecuted believers, was "near death" Thursday, January 29, but authorities denied him a final meeting with his imprisoned Christian wife, friends told BosNewsLife.

Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Five Pakistani Christians who were detained and charged with "blasphemy" against Islam during April 2007 spend their first weekend in freedom Sunday, January 25, after they were freed from prison, but the news was overshadowed by reports of violence against believers, in which at two persons died died.

By BosNewsLife International Correspondents Rodney Drinnen and Stefan J. Bos NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- There was renewed concern Friday, January 23, over the situation of Christians in India as several remained detained on charges of "forcible conversion" and others recovered from injuries after Hindu militants attacked homes and prayer services, Christian rights investigators said.

By Kristov Esocia, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (BosNewsLife)-- Major fighting continued Tuesday, January 20, between Sri Lanka's navy and independence seeking Tamil rebels, adding to concerns among minority Christians who fear renewed persecution by authorities, officials and rights investigators said.

By BosNewsLife News Center DHAKA, BANGLADESH (BosNewsLife)-- Muslims in a village in western Bangladesh have reportedly forced two brothers to expel their parents from their home for converting to Christianity, BosNewsLife News learned Monday, January 19.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- A well-known Christian human rights activist is in life danger after spending over fours in a Chinese prison where he has been denied necessary medical treatment , his family and supporters said in statements monitored by Worthy News Monday, January 19.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan with Mary Priddy, BosNewsLife International Correspondent ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife) -- Two Christian teenage girls were free Saturday, January 17, as they were rescued after being kidnapped, sold to other men as sex slaves, and forced into Islam by two radical Muslims, Christian rights investigators said.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese security forces expelled well-known expels evangelist and leader of China's growing house church movement, Pastor 'Bike' Zhang Mingxuan, from the capital Beijing Friday, January 16, while he was praying for a dying Christian man, a well-informed advocacy group told BosNewsLife.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service RANGOON, BURMA (BosNewsLife)-- Villagers of the mainly Christian Karen minority in Burma on Monday, January 5, were mourning the death of a seven-year old girl who was raped and murdered by at least one government soldier, the latest in a series of sexual abuses of minorities in the country, investigators said.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan SARGODHA, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian teenage girl, who was abducted and enslaved by a Muslim, was with her parents Saturday, January 3, after a local court ordered police to free her, Christians said.