Asia/Pacific

BosNewsLife Asia Service NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in India's volatile state of Orissa feared more violence Sunday, February 22, after a Christian man was killed and hard-line Hindus forced nearly two dozen Christian families to "convert" to Hinduism, local residents and rights investigators said.

BosNewsLife Asia Service DHAKA, BANGLADESH (BosNewsLife)-- A Bangladeshi pastor and his wife faced more death threats Friday, February 20, after pressing charges against Muslims of robbery and rape, Christian rights activists said.

Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan SANGLA HILL, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A 13-year old impoverished Christian girl in Pakistan's Punjab province was recovering Thursday, February 19, after she was gang raped at gun point by five Islamic extremists, her family told BosNewsLife.

Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife with reporting from China BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Over 60 Christian leaders, including two South Korean pastors and an elderly well-known evangelical believer, were detained in Central China as part of a crackdown on unauthorized worship, a religious advocacy group said Wednesday, February 18.

Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese Christian activist Hua Zaichen, who became known for helping reportedly persecuted Christians, has died in a Beijing hospital, shortly after his wife was released from prison, his supporters confirmed to BosNewsLife Monday, February 16. Hua was 91 years old.

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.

Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (BosNewsLife)-- An American mission group said Thursday, February 12, it has launched an 'Underground University' to help exiled North Koreans to return and evangelize in North Korea or to spread Christianity among North Koreans in other countries, including in China.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistan's Minister of Minorities Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti,has launched a public campaign aimed at annulling controversial blasphemy legislation amid concerns Thursday, February 12, over Islamic extremism against Christians and other minorities in the country.

BosNewsLife Asia Service RANGOON, BURMA (BosNewsLife)-- Dozens of British legislators expressed concern Tuesday, February 10, over reports of massive church closures in Burma, seen as "the most significant crackdown" on Christian activity in the military-ruled Asian nation in years, an advocacy group told BosNewsLife.

Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, BosNewsLife BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- A Chinese Christian human rights lawyer, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year, has been detained by Chinese police but his whereabouts remain unknown, his friend said Monday, February 9.