Christians across India marked Christmas under heightened tension as Hindu nationalist groups targeted prayer services, carol singing and public festivities. Attacks and intimidation were reported from several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Delhi during the final days of Advent.
A Hindu extremist mob in northern India assaulted two Christian couples and an attorney for several hours, accusing them of forced conversion, sources said.
India's Karnataka state has approved a new law aimed at curbing hate speech and hate crimes, a move welcomed by church leaders and human rights advocates who say it offers stronger protection for religious minorities, including Christians.
As police looked on, Muslims in Indonesia formed a human wall to block Christians from attending a Christmas service, according to local media.
Nigerian officials announced Monday that the remaining 130 students and staff abducted from a Catholic school in the country's north have been freed, ending a harrowing month-long captivity and allowing families to reunite just in time for Christmas.
The United States has signed a $5.1 billion five-year bilateral health agreement with Nigeria, directing substantial new funding toward Christian faith-based healthcare providers in an effort to expand health services and protect vulnerable Christian populations. The move marks a new phase in U.S.-Nigeria cooperation under the America First Global Health Strategy.
More than 1,000 police, SWAT and paramilitary units carried out a crackdown on Christian churches across at least 12 congregations for days in Yayang Town, Zhejiang province, detaining hundreds, according to a watchdog report.
Five Iranian Christians have been sentenced to a combined 50 years in prison for religious activities, including prayer, baptism and distributing Bibles, according to watchdog organizations.
The question is whether the Nigerian government will now take meaningful steps to rein in the radical Islamic groups responsible for the increasing violence.
A Pakistani Muslim man who sexually assaulted his Christian neighbor's 6-year-old daughter is pressuring her family to withdraw their police complaint and reach a settlement.
