Middle East

‘Martyred’ Iranian pastor remembered 20 years on

Persecution continues today, but in a different form By World Watch Monitor Memorial services are being held in Tehran, London and California to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Haik Hovsepian, an Iranian pastor hailed by many Christians as a martyr. Hovsepian vanished on January 19, 1994, three […]

Egyptians embrace new constitution

Originally published in World Mag Early results indicate Egyptian voters have overwhelmingly passed a constitutional referendum that paves the way for presidential elections in a country that has ousted two presidents in less than two years. Initial reports show that more than 90 percent of Egyptians approved the new constitution […]

‘Israel has given up all moral boundaries on abortion’ says pro-life body

Originally published in Israel Today Israel’s newly-passed health budget for 2014 includes a significant increase in government funding for legal abortions, a move that Sandy Shoshani, national director of the pro-life organization Be’ad Chaim, says is a serious indictment of the nation’s spiritual condition. Last month, the Health Basket Committee […]

Penalty reduced for burning Bible

Originally published in Agenzia Fides An Egyptian appeals court has rejected the appeal of Imam Ahmad Abdullah Mahmoud against his imprisonment and sentencing for burning a Bible. This was announced by Egyptian sources consulted by Fides Agency. The Salafi preacher’s appeal, however, has had the effect of reducing the sentence […]

Syria: Calls for missing nuns to be released

Originally published in Christian Today Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is calling for the release of 12 nuns and three young women who were taken from a convent in the Syrian town of Maaloula by Islamist rebels on Monday. The majority of the town’s Christian population fled when it was invaded […]