Asia

Syria: another crisis developing

23 Mar 2018
German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed the Bundestag in Berlin on 21 March and condemned as ‘unacceptable’ Turkey’s military offensive in Syria’s northern town of Afrin. She criticized Russia for ‘just watching’ the continuing…

Iran 2: persecuted but not forsaken

23 Mar 2018
Please stand in solidarity and prayer for Christians imprisoned in Iran on false political charges because of their faith. These include: Maryam - house church member, in Evin since July 2013, serving a…

Iran 1: under Islamism

23 Mar 2018
An Iranian writes, ‘My generation is called the “burnt generation”. We had to endure the brutality of the Islamist theocratic regime from the cradle: this meant cruel mass executions, ruthless determination to establish…

A faith-filled vision for Burma

16 Mar 2018
Thousands of Christians are persecuted every day. Each one has a story of how God works in and through them: not just stories of persecution, but stories of faith, courage and opportunity. This…

North Korea: history with US presidents

16 Mar 2018
No US president has ever met a North Korean leader. Madeleine Albright visited North Korea’s Kim Jong Il, but Bill Clinton was unwilling to go unless it was clear what such a meeting…

Iran: Christian centre closed

16 Mar 2018
A Christian retreat centre west of Tehran was closed on 10 March. It was accused of being funded by the US through the CIA to infiltrate the Islamic world, and particularly Iran, by…

North Korea: breakthrough?

09 Mar 2018
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US president Donald Trump are to meet in person by May, it has been announced, an extraordinary overture after months of mutual hostility. This news came after…

China: unlimited presidency and neighbours

09 Mar 2018
Oh Ei Sun, of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, has said that scrapping the two-term limit on the Chinese presidency will have profound ramifications for the region. But it looks likely to…

Saudi Arabia: potential for religious freedom

09 Mar 2018
During a three-day visit to the UK Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, has vowed to promote religious freedom. He said this at an hour-long private meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury…

Malaysia: recognising conversion from Islam

02 Mar 2018
The federal court has recently decided to allow four Christians who converted from Islam to begin to take steps to have their conversions from Islam legally recognised and have the word Islam removed…