Asia/Pacific

By BosNewsLife Asia Service reporting from Pakistan RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian man was fighting for his life in Pakistan's Punjab province Saturday, March 20, after Muslim leaders backed by police burned him alive for refusing to convert to Islam, while his wife was raped by police officers, Christian and hospital sources familiar with the case told BosNewsLife.

By Santosh Digal, BosNewsLife Asia Correspondent NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Police in India's southern state Karnataka detained a pastor for "forcing" Hindus "to convert" to Christianity, while Hindu extremists exhumed a Christian's dead body saying it "contaminated" a cemetery's soil, evangelical leaders confirmed Friday, March 19.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service HANOI, VIETNAM (BosNewsLife)-- Christian rights activists on Wednesday, March 16, welcomed the early release by Vietnam of a prominent Catholic priest from prison after he served just three of an-eight year sentence,  but they expressed concerns over his health.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan LAHORE/KASUR (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian couple, remained detained Thursday, March 11, as they began serving a 25-year prison term for blasphemy against Islam shortly after another Christian received a similar sentence, the latest in a series of cases that have worried the human rights community.

(CHANGING 2ND AND 3RD PARAGRAPH TO INCLUDE LATEST COMMENTS FROM WORLD VISION) By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife with BosNewslife Special Correspondent Xavier P. William reporting from Pakistan ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- The US-based Christian charity World Vision said Wednesday, March 10, it has suspended operations in Pakistan after militants stormed its offices, killing six staff members and injuring several others.

By Xavier P. William, reporting from Pakistan LAHORE, PUNHAB (BosNewsLife)-- A young Christian man died of a heart attack after armed Muslim gunmen stormed his house in the outskirts of Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province, where Islamic attacks against minority Christians are increasing, two advocacy groups said Wednesday, March 10.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service LONDON/RANGOON (BosNewsLife)-- Thousands of Christians worldwide will unite in prayer for Burma next week as part of global day of prayer for the nation, organizers said

By Santosh Digal, BosNewsLife Asia Correspondent CHENNAI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Several bishops were detained Friday, March 5, in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu where police halted a protest march against the alleged discrimination of Dalit Christians here and elsewhere in this mainly Hindu nation, Christian officials said.

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 Correspondents Stefan J. Bos and Santosh Digal reporting from the region DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Police in India's Punjab state refuse toinvestigate the involvement of Hindu militants in the attempted murders of Christians, according to a report obtained by BosNewsLife Tuesday, March 2.