By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian mother of five sentenced to death on charges of "blasphemy" against Islam and over a dozen other Christians held in Pakistani jails spent Christmas Day without their families, after authorities refused requests to allow prison visits, well-informed Christians said.

 

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife with BosNewsLife Middle East Service

TEHRAN, IRAN (BosNewsLife)-- A senior evangelical pastor and his wife are spending Christmas behind bars in southern Iran after security forces raided their Assemblies of God-affiliated church, detaining everyone in the building, including children attending Sunday School, a friend of the couple told BosNewsLife.

 

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service

BAGHDAD, IRAQ (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Iraq have canceled several church services, including traditional Christmas Eve midnight Masses, amid fears of more violence after more than a dozen bonbings in the capital Baghdad killed some 60 people this week and other violence claims at least 7 lives elsewhere, Catholic and other church officials said.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service

ABUJA, NIGERIA (BosNewsLife)-- Nigerian authorities said Saturday, December 24, that police forces killed at least a dozen suspected fighters of an Islamic group blamed for deadly attacks on Christians and other targets in northern states.

 

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos

BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- One of China's largest house congregations planned to hold its last outdoor worship service on Christmas Day in the capital Beijing after months of detentions, while elsewhere several congregations were raided by Chinese security forces as part of a Christmas season crackdown, local Christians and activists said.

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

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- A key official of Hungary's ruling center-right Fidesz party has submitted a draft law to parliament that is expected to make it potentially impossible for newer evangelical churches to be recognized by the state.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

TEHRAN, IRAN (BosNewsLife)-- Evangelical Christians in Iran fear a massive crackdown by security forces around Christmas and say Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani may be executed earlier than authorities suggest, a senior church official told BosNewsLife Monday, December 19.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service

VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Dozens of Christians in southern Laos have been told to leave their village within 24 hours if they continue to believe in Christ and hold worship services, an advocacy group defending the Christians said Wednesday, December 21.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent with BosNewsLife Asia Service

SEOUL/PYONGYANG (BosNewsLife)-- North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong Il has died at the age of 69, state media reported, adding to uncertainty about the plight of as many as one million prisoners, including many Christians, who rights activists say are held in the Communist country's notorious concentration camps.

 

By BosNewsLife News Center