By Worthy News Middle East Service BAGHDAD, IRAQ (Worthy News)-- Christians in Iraq feared further attacks Thursday, November 11, after co-ordinated bombings in Christian areas of Baghdad killed at least four people and injured 25 others, less than two weeks after a failed hostage-taking at a church in the capital left scores of casualties. Local police said there had been at least 11 separate explosions in three mostly Christian areas of Baghdad, Wednesday, November 10. It came as Al-Qaeda's branch in Iraq said its ... Read More

By Worthy News Asia Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (Worthy News)-- A court in Pakistan has sentenced a Christian mother of four to death for "insulting" Islam's Prophet Muhammad, Worthy News learned. Asia Bibi, 45, is believed to be the first woman sentenced to death under Pakistan's blasphemy law. She has been imprisoned since June last year for allegedly making derogatory statements about Muhammad, charges she strongly denies, her family said. Bibi, a farm worker, was detained following an incident on June 14, 2009, when a discussion ... Read More

By Santosh Digal, Worthy News Asia Correspondent reporting from India NEW DELHI, INDIA (Worthy News)-- Hindu and Muslim militants have attacked several Christians and a church in several incidents across the country as part of efforts to crackdown on the spread of Christianity in the country, Christians said. In one incident, Pastor Mallappa Hanumanthappa Andrew of the evangelical Samadhana Prayer House and his brother were attacked October 20 by some six extremists while walking on a village road in the state of Karnataka, local ... Read More

By Worthy News Middle East Service The church building was partly destroyed by fire. JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (Worthy News)-- Israeli authorities continue to investigate an arson attack on a Jerusalem church building that church officials say has long been a focal point for anti-Christian sentiment in a Jewish ultra-Orthodox-leaning neighborhood. Early Friday, October 29, an unknown arsonist broke the basement windows of the Jerusalem Alliance Church Ministry Center and set fire to its bottom floors, said its senior pastor Jack Sara in published remarks. Ten visiting ... Read More

By Joseph C. DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent HANOI, Vietnam (Worthy News)-- Back in August, the Vietnamese government initiated a massive military operation involving thousands of soldiers, security forces and local police in what they called "tieu quet" to "wipe out" Degar Christians who refused to join the Evangelical Church of Vietnam. During the ongoing operation, Vietnamese forces arrested about 24 Degar Christians, nine of whom still remain in prison. According to the Montagnard Foundation, Inc., by creating and forcing the Degars to join the ECV, ... Read More

By Joseph C. DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (Worthy News)-- Five Baptists in Uzbekistan have failed to pay fines for participating in an unregistered worship service. Judge S. Ashurov of Samarkand Regional Criminal Court rejected the Baptists' appeals against fines first imposed in September. The Baptists told the court they consider the fines to be a violation of their religious freedom. The fines were the result of a so-called "anti-terror" raid on the congregation when they met for worship in ... Read More

By Joseph C. DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (Worthy News)-- Uzbekistan police confiscated a Christian's private property and then imposed a massive fine on him for owning a film about Jesus. Five police officers led by Zufar Rashidov of the Sergeli District Criminal Investigation and Anti-terrorism Department raided the home of Murat Jalalov and his family on the pretense of conducting an identity check; after taking Murat's passport, the officers searched his home. After the raid, police confiscated 75 DVDs/CDs, ... Read More

By Joseph C. DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent KARNATAKA, India (Worthy News)-- A pastor was attacked and his house church burnt by Hindus in Karnataka. Mallappa Hanumanthappa Andrew of Bellakatte Village, Chitrdurga District, Karnataka, was attacked by six Hindu radicals while walking with his brother in broad daylight on Oct. 20. When his sibling intervened, he was also attacked, and then the six men burnt down the pastor's house church. Despite sporadic opposition, Pastor Andrew, who has ministered in Bellakatte village ... Read More