China (International Christian Concern) – The leader of a house church in China’s Yunnan province was detained for five days as his “administrative punishment,” since he held worship at his residence and “disturbed public order.” According to China Aid, on November 15, Li Chunze, the leader of a house church in Panlong District in the […]
(Thomson Reuters Foundation) — Norway’s parliament outlawed hate speech against transgender and bisexual people on Nov. 10, expanding its penal code which has protected gay and lesbian people since 1981. People found guilty of hate speech face a fine or up to a year in jail for private remarks, and a maximum of three years […]
(Article18) — The UN’s General Assembly has passed a resolution expressing “serious concerns” about the situation of human rights in Iran, including “severe limitations” and “increasing restrictions” on religious freedom. The resolution, passed yesterday by 79 votes to 32, with 64 abstentions, calls on Iran to “eliminate, in law and in practice, all forms of […]
(The Christian Institute) — Churches in Northern Ireland are set to close following the announcement of a two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown. The Stormont executive announced yesterday that strict new measures will be introduced from Nov. 27, including the closure of non-essential retail, close-contact services, leisure and entertainment services, and places of worship. Garden centers […]
GUATEMALA CITY — The president of Guatemala has issued a statement declaring his commitment to protecting life and refusal to allow organizations that kill the unborn to operate in the country. “I recognize life from its conception, and therefore, in my government, I will not tolerate any movement that violates what is provided in our […]
LONDON — The U.K. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal of a mother who wants to be identified as the “father” on her son’s birth certificate since she identifies as a man. The nation’s highest court simply said that “the applications do not raise an arguable point of law which ought to be […]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Yahoo News) – A two-year investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department into the horrific sexual exploitation of a teenage girl netted a staggering amount of arrests, with more than 170 people charged over recent months. On Tuesday, Tallahassee police chief Lawrence Revell and state and federal officials announced results of Operation Stolen Innocence, […]
(The Christian Institute) — Abortion giant Marie Stopes International (MSI) has been renamed in an attempt to distance itself from its founder’s openly racist and eugenicist beliefs and practices. The organization, which operates in 37 countries around the world, will rebrand as MSI Reproductive Choices, claiming it no longer has any “meaningful connection” to its […]
South Sudan (Mission Network News) — The COVID-19 pandemic and falling oil prices hit the world’s newest nation hard. South Sudan just took its first loan from the International Monetary Fund. … Circumstances might be increasingly difficult, but they won’t stop Gospel work. With World Concern’s help, local believers take practical gifts and the hope […]
(International Christian Concern) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on Nov. 15, local authorities raided a church in Taiyuan, Shanxi province during its Sunday service, before detaining the preacher and six other members. Around 9:20 a.m., a team of officials hailing from the public security bureau, ethnic and religious affairs bureau, ministry of […]