By BosNewsLife News Center with BosNewsLife's Senior Special Correspondent Johan Th. Bos reporting from the Netherlands

AMSTERDAM/WASHINGTON D.C. (BosNewsLife)-- One of the world's largest mission agencies, Open Doors, named North Korea and Iran Wednesday, November 6, as "the worst persecutors of Christians".

By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest with BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos

DUSHANBE/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Devoted Christians in several areas of Tajikistan faced uncertainty Tuesday, January 5, over the future of their churches after the former Soviet republic introduced a new religion law that the United States has criticized as highly restrictive.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

BUDAPEST/COPENHAGEN (BosNewsLife)-- A Somali man with alleged links to terrorist groups al-Shabab and al-Qaida has been charged with an attempt to kill a Danish cartoonist whose depiction of the Prophet Muhammed sparked outrage in the Muslim world.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

BUDAPEST/VILNIUS (BosNewsLife)-- Lithuania has closed down its Soviet-built nuclear power plant as part of an agreement with the European Union, ushering in a new era of energy uncertainty for the country.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

ZAGREB/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Official results show Social Democrat Ivo Josipovic has won the most votes in the first round of Croatia's presidential election, but not enough for a first round victory. Josipovic will face the controversial mayor of the capital Zagreb in a run-off election next month.

By Peter Fedynsky, reporting from Moscow

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (BosNewsLife)-- The second murder of a Russian priest in as many months has prompted a call by the Orthodox Church for Russians to think about their country's spiritual and moral condition.

By Sabina Castelfranco reporting from Rome

ROME, ITALY (BosNewsLife)-- Pope Benedict delivered his traditional Christmas Day "blessing" Friday, December 25, just hours after being knocked to the ground by a woman at the start of Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. The Vatican said the 82-year-old Benedict XVI was unhurt and that his busy Christmas schedule would remain unchanged.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife reporting from Budapest

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- Nobel Peace Prize winner, author and activist Elie Wiesel has urged Hungary to consider banning Holocaust denials to improve its image abroad and has expressed concern about growing extremist parties in the country and Europe.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- Hungarian health authorities have launched a national campaign warning Hungary's Santa Claus to avoid kissing children and shaking their hands to prevent spreading the swine flu virus. They also want him to get vaccinated against the illness.

By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest

DUSHANBE/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Members of a Baptist congregation in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe have appealed to the City Court against a ban on their activity, which was apparently imposed because they meet in a private home without state registration, BosNewsLife learned Wednesday, December 2.