Asia/Pacific

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife reporting from Jakarta, Indonesia JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife)-- The priest of Jakarta Cathedral, Indonesia's most known Catholic parish, has urged the government to prevent a repeat of attacks against churches ahead of upcoming presidential elections. Markus Yumartana, 53, said he hopes authorities would continue on the path of religious tolerance that he claimed surrounded the recent Asian Games, the largest sports event ever held in terror-prone Jakarta, the capital.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife reporting from Jakarta, Indonesia JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife)-- When Ferry Mamangkey had a liver health scare he knew he needed a miracle. Now many prayers and "miracles" later, the recovered 62-year-old evangelist has become 'Indonesia's Billy Graham' traveling through often remote areas of this diverse archipelago of thousands of islands. "My healing was a miracle. The Lord touched me in my home. Now I am praying for the sick as part of the Gospel outreach."

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent reporting from Jakarta, Indonesia JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife)-- Global Christian broadcaster Trans World Radio (TWR) has begun airing programming aimed at encouraging and informing survivors in Indonesia's earthquake-shattered Lombok. The program comes amid warnings of more aftershocks after the quake hit the island on August 5, killing more than 400 people and leaving over 350,000 displaced.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife reporting from Jakarta, Indonesia. JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife)-- A lack of funds overshadows preparations by dozens of native Christians to secretly translate and bring the Bible to 30 language groups in Indonesia who have been waiting for that moment for generations, an official supporting the project told BosNewsLife.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent reporting from Jakarta, Indonesia JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife)-- Religious leaders in Indonesia's North Sumatra province have reportedly agreed to stop protesting the prison term given to a local Buddhist woman for allegedly insulting Islam. Meiliana, a 44-year-old ethnic Chinese woman, had complained the Muslim call to prayer, repeated five times a day, was being played too loudly at the mosque near her house in the port town of Tanjung Balai in North Sumatra.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Four Christians in India's eastern state of Jharkhand, who were in prison since May on charges of forced conversion, have been released, an advocacy group says.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service and BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese authorities pressure landlords to cancel their leases to house churches and security forces are raiding home congregations as part of a government campaign against Christianity, rights activists, and local Christians say.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BosNewsLife)-- The Islamic State group claims its fighters have bombed three churches in the capital of Indonesia's East Java province during services on Sunday, May 13, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens more.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A young Christian woman has died in Pakistan's second largest city Lahore after she was disfigured with acid and set alight for refusing to marry a Muslim man, Christians and rights activists confirmed Tuesday, April 24.

BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Rights activists want China to investigate the "mysterious death" of well-known Christian human rights lawyer Li Baiguang who reportedly passed away in a military hospital despite being in good health just days before. He was 49.