Asia/Pacific

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan KARACHI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Twin bombings apparently targeting Shiite Muslims in Pakistan's financial capital Karachi also killed at least five members of a Christian family, including a pregnant woman, BosNewsLife established Wednesday, February 10.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Several impoverished Christian families in a rural area of Laos were without livestock Sunday, July 12, after authorities slaughtered the animals because they refused to renounce their faith, religious rights investigators said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service HANOI, VIETNAM (BosNewsLife)-- A five-day tour by Australian Christian evangelist and motivational speaker Nick Vujicic in Vietnam has sparked discussion about faith among Vietnamese youth and could pressure the government to rethink the state’s tight control of religious activities, rights activists said in comments seen by BosNewsLife Monday, June 17.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Muslims torched Christian homes and "destroyed" a church in a slum area of Islamabad while suspected militants shot at another church outside Pakistan's capital, after the jailing of a mentally handicapped Christian girl for "blasphemy", witnesses said Tuesday, August 21.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A senior advocacy official remained concern Saturday, April 12, that a Pakistani appeals court will confirm the death sentence of Christian woman Asia Bibi, who has been charged with blasphemy against Islam.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Christian rights activists were hopeful Wednesday, March 11, that they would be able to "free" a Christian teenager who was allegedly abducted by a Muslim man last year in Pakistan's Punjab province, and forced to marry him.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan DANDPUR KHARROLIAN, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- An impoverished Christian man in Pakistan was still searching for his wife and two small children on Valentine's Day Saturday, February 14, nearly one month after they were allegedly kidnapped by Muslim militants because he refused to abandon his faith in Jesus Christ.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese security forces detained a prominent house church leader Thursday, March 4, at a restaurant in southern China where he and a dozen other Christians had lunch, Chinese Christians said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service HANOI, VIETNAM (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Vietnam's Central Highlands faced suffering on Good Friday as anti-Christian villagers and security forces killed at least one church leader and injured several families, local believers and rights activists said.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- European legislators have visited Pakistan amid concerns that Christian Asia Bibi, a married mother of five, may become the first woman to be executed by the State on controversial charges of 'blasphemy against Islam.'