Displaying items by tag: Asia

The veteran politician has the official mandate to form a new government, paving the way for his comeback as the head of what is widely expected to be the most right-wing coalition in the country’s history. However, the 73-year-old promised to serve all Israelis, ‘those who voted for us and those who did not - it is my responsibility’. After unprecedented political gridlock forced five elections in under four years, Netanyahu’s Likud party and its ultraorthodox and ultranationalist allies received a clear majority in parliament. He must now build a coalition with his allies and quickly wrap up the negotiations. His next moves will be closely scrutinised as unease mounts in some quarters over his policy plans and the goals of his controversial governing partners. Violence has soared between Israel and the Palestinians recently, causing the deadliest period in years in the West Bank, with near-daily army raids and increased attacks on Israelis.

India’s religious diversity is under threat from the spread of religious intolerance as well as government policies and laws. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh arm of the BJP promotes a Hindu nationalist agenda and is dividing communities on religious grounds, leaving the nation’s religious minorities unsettled about their future. Pray for India’s government today: transform their hearts to treat every individual and community with respect and to protect their right to freedom of religion or belief. Pray also that the appointment of India’s first president from an indigenous community, President Draupadi Murmu, will bring positive changes for all India’s indigenous communities. Heavenly Father, we pray for Your protection over all the nation’s religious minorities. We pray that those in power will respect and acknowledge the right of everyone to freedom of religion or belief. Where there is unrest, bring peace, and where there is persecution, we ask for impartiality.

Christians in Qatar are inviting the global church to join with them in praying for a move of the Holy Spirit during the World Cup, which begins on 20 November. The country is number 18 on the World Watch List. Although foreign Christians can worship in relative freedom, Qatari Christians are forbidden from having their own churches or even entering a church. Converts can also face extreme pressure from their family and community. Despite these challenges, the church in Qatar is growing - and there is the expectation that it will continue to do so during the World Cup. ‘We’re expecting a big move of the Holy Spirit during the World Cup,’ says a church leader for expats and migrant workers. ‘We already see the move of the Holy Spirit in Qatar. God is visiting people in their dreams. God is doing miracles. God is doing healings among the Qatari people.’

Despite increasingly repressive rule under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), dissent occurs regularly and is geographically widespread, according to a new analysis by Freedom House. It recorded 668 instances of dissent in China from June to September, as people spoke out against stalled housing projects, labour rights violations, fraud, Covid policies, and state violence, among other grievances. The analysis found that ¼ of cases involving people who engaged in dissent faced authorities’ reprisals - including violence, intimidation, detention, and censorship - illustrating CCP’s efforts to restrict organised collective action. Contrary to what China wants the world to believe, individuals throughout the country are standing up to Beijing’s machine of censorship and repression to make their voices heard. More Chinese are courageously exercising their fundamental rights to free expression and assembly. Some are achieving concessions from private companies and local officials, which is troubling to the increasingly oppressive party.

Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, once called ‘Jerusalem of the East,’ can no longer claim that title as the Juche doctrine is now its religion, with the Kims as its deities. Christian church information is limited. It survives as an underground church where meetings are held in secret. If members are caught, they will go to prison or a labour camp. Intense media control means that few North Koreans have heard the name of Jesus. The government dictates people’s lifestyle through generic provisions and limiting personal differences. Much of North Korea is underdeveloped., and natural disasters and military spending have strapped the economy. In the past fifteen years, two million people have died due to food shortages. The country relies on foreign aid to feed its people. North Korea is accused of torture, slavery, public executions, forced abortions, infanticides, as well as detaining possibly as many as 200,000 political prisoners.

The Chosen People and the Promised Land of scripture are testaments to God's promises. Despite limited natural resources, Israelis have developed thriving agricultural and industrial sectors in under twenty years. Home to Christian, Muslim, and Jewish sites, Jerusalem has been conquered and reconquered for 3,000 years. The Old City reflects ancient rifts between Palestinian and Jewish communities. Freedom of religion is a right, but Messianic Jews struggle for political recognition. Christians are often harassed by Jews and Muslims alike. 75% of Israel follow Judaism, barely 2% Christianity, and the rest Islam. However, the gospel is spreading, interest in the Word of God is increasing; and powerful testimonies by Christian Jews abound as they minister to their brothers and sisters in ways that others cannot. House churches grow as God empowers evangelical leaders to spread the good news that ‘the Messiah has come and is coming back soon’.

‘Someone’s crime was that her hair was flowing in the wind. Someone’s crime was that he or she was brave and outspoken.’ These lyrics could cost Iranian rap artist Toomaj Salehi his life. The underground rebel rapper was arrested and faces a death penalty. 14,000 Iranians have been arrested since September when an Iranian woman died after being detained by ‘morality police’ for not wearing her hijab properly. Salehi’s uncle had a phone call from his friend saying ‘Our whereabouts have been leaked’. Later fifty people raided Salehi’s residence. He is accused of propagandist activity against the government, cooperation with hostile governments, and forming illegal groups to create insecurity in the country. His uncle has information he was tortured. He said, ‘We still do not know anything about Salehi’s health condition, or if he is alive’. Pray for the family.

After an assassination attempt on ex-PM Imran Khan, the born-again Muslim, a political battle between him, the civilian government, and its military backers is spilling onto the streets. Khan is campaigning for snap elections and his return to power. The flurry of accusations, questions, and investigations after he had been shot in the leg does not bode well for political and social stability in the world’s fifth most populous country, the only nuclear-armed Islamic republic. Within 24 hours of being shot, the physically fit 70-year-old went on camera to deny that he was the target of a lone-wolf attack; rather, he blamed it on a plot hatched by PM Shehbaz Sharif, the internal security minister, and a senior military intelligence officer. Without offering any proof, he demanded they all resign and encouraged his supporters to keep protesting. Pakistan has lost many leaders whose killings have never been properly investigated.

154 people were killed in a crush in South Korea's capital, Seoul. Twenty foreign nationals were among the dead, another 159 were injured. A jam of people developed as huge crowds gathered in a popular nightlife area for Halloween. Most victims were teenagers and adults in their 20s, the crush began in a narrow alley. A survivor said, ‘Even if you stand still, someone pushes you from the front and someone from the back. Like a wave. I realised something was wrong. I managed to climb onto a high step. People were suffocating, screaming, getting squeezed, falling. There were just too many people. I was on the step just watching everything happening. They didn’t know what to do and there was nothing I could do.’ There was nothing anyone could have done to save others or themselves. Some victims were unidentified because they were below the age of 17 or without an adult ID.

Gujarat suspension cable foot bridge had been closed for refurbishment. Then a week after it re-opened during Diwali celebrations it collapsed, throwing hundreds into the water. 135, mostly women, children and elderly, died. Army, Navy, Airforce, NDRF and the Fire Brigade conducted a search operation to rescue people out of the Macchu river in the worst public safety tragedy to hit the country in recent years. As authorities investigate the incident, questions are being raised about how the narrow walkway collapsed and the role of Oreva, an electrical manufacturing company, tasked with maintaining the colonial-era structure. Nine people were arrested and are being investigated for culpable homicide charges. All are associated with Oreva and include two managers, two ticket clerks, two contractors and three security guards. Oreva was a clockmaker before diversifying into electronics. See also