Asia/Pacific

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Indian court proceedings underway Monday, May 11, against men who were allegedly involved in gang raping a nun were overshadowed by indications that witnesses have been threatened not to accurately testify, trial observers said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Evangelical Christians in India's eastern state of Andhra Pradesh faced the difficult task Sunday, May 10, of rebuilding their church after suspected anti-Christian militants torched the building, the latest in a series of attacks against churches in the area, investigators said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service SWAT VALLEY, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Hundreds of thousands of people, including Christians, have fled Pakistan's Taliban-controlled Swat Valley and nearby areas as the Pakistani military on Saturday, May 9, continued to pound suspected militant positions.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with BosNewsLife Asia Correspondent Santosh Digal reporting from Manila HANOI, VIETNAM (BosNewsLife)-- Amid protests against reported church destructions, the city of Hanoi has ordered one of its districts to stop construction work on land claimed by the Catholic church, BosNewsLife monitored Thursday, May 7.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan with additional reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistan's military and the militant Taliban group clashed in the country's strategic Swat Valley Wednesday, May 6, adding to fears among minority Christians and forcing thousands of civilians to flee the area.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- A group of Chinese house church Christians, including key leaders, remained detained in China's Henan province Tuesday May 5, after security forces raided a house church in Xinye city, rights investigators told BosNewsLife.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service MANILA, PHILIPPINES (BosNewsLife)-- A Protestant pastor who says he was tortured while being detained in the Philippines has warned of widespread killings and other attacks against church members in the Asian nation.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service BAGHDAD, IRAQ (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Iraq held worship services Sunday, May 3, after they were urged not to flee despite the killing of three believers in the northern city of Kirkuk.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service RANGOON, BURMA (BosNewsLife)-- Former leaders of Britain’s three main political parties have urged the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to make the release of Burma’s 2,100 political prisoners, including Christians, his personal priority, BosNewsLife monitored Friday, May 1.

Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife with BosNewsLife Asia Service SEOUL/PYONGYANG (BosNewsLife)-- Churches around the world were to participate in the International Day of Prayer for North Korea Monday, April 27, shortly after two American Christian bands received awards for their performance in the isolated nation, organizers said.