Local authorities in the state of Hidalgo “prohibit the entry of Protestants”. Those who refuse to fund Catholic festivities are threatened with big fines and water cuts.

“The number of violent attacks against Christians has alarmingly increased in the three years of President Rodrigo Duterte’s government”, Christian organisations in the Philippines say.

“Armed groups, guerrillas, militamen, criminal gangs and drug cartels see the church as an enemy to be eradicated”, a pastor says.

Pastor John Cao was accused and imprisoned in 2017, for “organizing illegal border crossings”, while providing humanitarian aid to the Wa people in Myanmar .

Christians were dragged to the village leaders and forced to sit and bow to the goddess idol. Police decline to act, sources say.

The only thing the Kim family has done, says Eunman Jeon, the son of North Korean Christians, is to “change the name of God and put his own. That is the system of government of the country”.

Systemic persecution and its implications.

The Foreign Affairs Office releases the long-awaited Independent Review on Persecuted Christians. It was commissioned by Jeremy Hunt, who could become the next Prime Minister.

Christians in these rural areas often find themselves in the middle of two armed groups fighting each other for territory and for corridors through which to traffic their illicit goods.

The Iranian government “prefers to be destroyed dragging the people with them before giving in”, says a Christian source in the country. “Pray for an integral transformation of the nation”.

Rev. Iftikhar Indryas, founder of the New Covenant Christian School, explains the issues the educational project is facing. He calls to pray for the “spiritual, physical and intellectual well-being” of Pakistani Christians.

In the Chhattisgarh state, villagers attacked the homes of three Christian families, leaving 25 people homeless. Death threats are followed by reconversion rituals.

Far East Broadcasting Company radio signal will be “unblockable by North Korean regime and reach the entire country with the message of Jesus Christ”.

Suspected Fulani herdsmen killed several Christians, kidnapped 19 and burned at least 12 houses throughout Nigeria in May.

The Chelsea striker, along with other players, sponsored an Open Doors event in London. “We have to talk about it [...] I do it to serve Jesus”, he said.

Citing a law that requires authorization for non-Muslim places of worship, authorities in North-central Algeria ordered the closure of the church and its Bible school.

The release of Asia Bibi is “extraordinarily good news”, but blasphemy laws “should be repealed once and for all” to protect faith minorities.

“If Prime Minister Modi wins again, the persecution of Christians in India will continue to grow”, says Vijayesh Lal, General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India. Voting will finish on May 19.

Muslims in-laws pressured women to accuse husbands.

A pastor, two of his sons and three other worshippers died. “Europe must stand united against the persecution of Christians in Africa”, said Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament.

The Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka asks the government “to take all steps necessary to arrest the situation swiftly”. The WEA also calls churches around the world to join in prayer.

A Hindu extremist practice of turning animistic villagers against Christians has intensified in Jharkhand, as general elections are underway through May.

The bombings are the deadliest attack on Christians in South Asia in recent times. The attacks took place almost simultaneously in three Christian temples and luxury hotels.

Prime Minister Imran Khan says a “complication” has delayed the departure of the Christian woman. “She will be leaving in weeks”, he promises.

A two-year investigation showed direct and circumstantial evidence that a pastor and other religious leader were victims of “enforced disappearance by state agents”.