A Chinese pastor has been released from jail after Donald Trump intervened to get him freed, in what his family have described as a "miracle".
Sky News (World)·
·WASHINGTON — July 6, 2026 — Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, founder of Beijing-based Zion Church, one of China’s largest and most influential unregistered Protestant congregations, has been released after nine months in detention following high-level diplomatic engagement between the…
ABUJA, Nigeria (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – Three weeks after the kidnapping of Scripture Union Nigeria’s national general director in southeast Nigeria, he and seven other fellowship leaders remain missing, according to reports.
An exile’s tragic and loving story of wisdom, compassion, and assassination. The post Uyghur Fathers, Uyghur Children: Persecution and Resilience Across Generations first appeared on Bitter Winter.
A Christian convert has returned to Evin Prison after four months’ medical leave. Hannah Gholami, 36, returned to prison on 29 June, having been out on leave since shortly before the war. Hannah is serving a two-year sentence on “national security” charges related to her…
Human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng completed his three-year prison sentence and was released on 13 April 2026. His wife, activist Xu Yan, was released on 13 January 2025 after serving a one year and nine months sentence. The couple had been detained since April 2023.
LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A court in Pakistan on Monday (July 6) acquitted a Catholic accused of blasphemy, his lawyer said. Attorney Asad Jamal of the Lahore High Court said Lahore Additional Sessions Judge Abdul Ghaffar acquitted…
The death toll from Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes has risen to 3,342, according to the country's information ministry, as rescue teams continue searching affected areas and survivors face an uncertain recovery.
Xi Jinping’s “gift” to Donald Trump analyzed by a Chinese Christian. We are grateful for Pastor Jin, but we cannot forget that many other Christians are still in prison. The post Pastor Jin Mingri’s July 4 Release: What Does It Mean? first appeared on Bitter Winter.
Earlier in the day, Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez defended the government's actions following the quakes amid growing frustration over what many have called a delayed and inadequate response.
Local authorities on Rota, part of the Northern Mariana Islands, say they have received reports of 'major damages'.
Chinese authorities recently released Zion Church Pastor Ezra Jin, who had been detained in southern China for the past eight months. Jin arrived in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday and was welcomed by ChinaAid.
Around 10:30 p.m. on July 3, Sean Long saw his phone light up with an incoming call from Anna Liu, wife of Jin “Ezra” Mingri, senior pastor of China’s Zion Church. When Long answered, he was surprised to hear the voice of Jin, who had been detained since October 9, on the other…
The leader of a prominent Chinese underground church was released from prison and traveled to the US after President Donald Trump raised his case directly.
After attending a conference in Tehran in 2018, Dr. Kylie Moore-Gilbert was arrested under false espionage charges and sent to both IRGC and public Iranian prisons. This is her story.
TEHRAN – After 1000 days of waging a genocidal war, has the Israeli regime proven its capacity to sustain a prolonged conflict, or has it been forced to fundamentally redefine its policy?
(MIDLAND, Texas — July 4, 2026 ) ChinaAid welcomes with profound gratitude the release of imprisoned Chinese house church pastor Ezra Jin, who arrived safely in Los Angeles on July 4, 2026, after being released directly from detention in China.
A report indicates that Israeli Defense Forces strikes have resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians in Gaza.
Late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and members of his family were killed in a US-Israeli air strike on February 28.
By Mahmoud Issa and Rami Ayyub GAZA/JERUSALEM, July 4 (Reuters) - The photo depicts a blindfolded Gaza man stripped to his underwear and restrained face down on a cot while in Israeli custody. Israel says the image is genuine and has acknowledged that the treatment it depicts…
Continuing violence erodes fundamental rights for millions
The government has not given any estimates, but the United Nations has estimated as many as 50,000 are unaccounted for following the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude shocks.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya's lawyer said he struggled to breathe and speak and seemed close to losing consciousness several times, during a Thursday visit, and said the doctor told him he fears he would be killed in Israeli custody
International rescue teams have begun closing up operations as deaths in Venezuela double quakes approach 3,000. Families are still looking for signs of their missing loved ones.
West Africa's Al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on military positions in Mali on Saturday (4 July) and said it had seized control of at least five of them.
The returns are happening at a time that Afghanistan is already struggling to absorb millions of recent returnees. The post Over 66,000 Afghan migrants expelled from Pakistan in one month appeared first on Amu TV.
The Zion Church founder's release comes after a direct plea to Xi Jinping from Donald Trump.
Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has rejected criticism that her government responded too slowly to two major earthquakes that have killed more than 2,500 people, as questions continue over the scale and coordination of the disaster response.
Deadly earthquakes hit Venezuela At least 164 people were killed and nearly 1,000 were left injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening. The 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes were the strongest to hit the country in nearly six decades.
Since she decided to follow Jesus in June 2025, 15-year-old Indii Mikaa’el has lost her education and the comfort of her home. She could also lose her life. Born into a Muslim family in Haroji Wado, near Ethiopia’s border with Sudan, Mikaa’el now lives under constant threats…
The sentences of five Christians condemned to a combined over 70 years in prison for ordinary Christian activities, such as praying, performing baptisms, taking Communion and celebrating Christmas, have been upheld by an appeals court.
More than 500 people have been killed in Venezuela following powerful back-to-back earthquakes, with many more injured. Rescue teams have also been trying to locate people trapped in collapsed buildings.
Will the earthquake shake Venezuela’s government? The death toll from the Venezuelan earthquakes continues to rise, nearing 600 by Friday morning. The US believes that figure could rise to a staggering 10,000 once all the dead are located under the rubble.
For nearly four decades, the human rights record of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, drew sustained criticism from United Nations human rights mechanisms, international NGOs, and independent experts.
The disaster has overwhelmed local services, with bodies put outside or in tents for identification.
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Islamists in June demonstrated against the presence of a church in one city in West Java Province, Indonesia and prevented a funeral Mass in another, local sources reported.
(RNS) — Despite the fact that many Venezuelan faith leaders have been themselves impacted by the ongoing disaster, they’ve sprung into action to provide food, psychological support and other basic needs to the large population of victims.
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to deprive Pakistan of its share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty would amount to the “weaponization of water” and could have serious consequences for regional peace and security.
The French doctor had been working in DR Congo, where more than 260 people are known to have died.
Pray →God of Healing and Comfort, we lift up the doctors and communities affected by the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo and now in France. Your eyes see the suffering of the sick and the labor of those who serve them. Strengthen the hands of medical workers, renew their spirits, and guard their hearts from fear as they face this relentless disease. Reveal Jesus to the afflicted, the grieving, and those striving to contain the outbreak. Let Your healing flow where despair seeks to take root, and bring peace that surpasses understanding to those overwhelmed by uncertainty. You have promised to be near to the brokenhearted and to bind up their wounds — in this, we trust Your faithfulness. In the name of Jesus, the Great Physician, we pray. Amen.
President says ‘we always hold onto hope’ as discovery of earthquake survivors spurs fresh search efforts despite dwindling chances of survival
A committee has been established to monitor Myanmar's internet continuously, indicating increased oversight by the regime over online activities.
Pray →God of Truth and Light, we lift up Myanmar as a new committee seeks to monitor and control the internet. In a land where shadows attempt to hide Your light, we ask You to be a shield for those who seek truth and justice. May the eyes of those in authority be opened to the One who is the Light of the World, piercing through every shadow. Strengthen and sustain the believers of Myanmar, that their lives may shine brightly in the darkness. Guard their communications and interactions online, and let integrity and wisdom guide them in every word shared. Reveal Your Son to those who seek control, that they might find freedom in His name. We entrust this nation to Your unfailing light and truth, for the glory of Your name. Amen.
With 1,450 dead and many more missing, Christians are collecting donations, feeding the displaced, and providing medical care.
For years, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has pushed ethnic minority groups like Tibetans and Uyghurs to adopt an identity rooted in Chinese nationality and allegiance to the ruling Communist Party.
Pray →Faithful Shepherd, we bring before You the Uyghur and Tibetan people under increasing pressure to conform. You know every heart in Xinjiang and Tibet, and You have promised to be near to the brokenhearted. Strengthen the believers among these ethnic groups, granting them courage and peace in the face of intimidation. Reveal Jesus to government officials and those enforcing this new law, that they might encounter the One who sets captives free and brings true unity through grace. Let the light of the Gospel shine brightly across China, drawing all men to the truth that transcends national identity. May Your justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream in these regions. For the glory of Your name and the advancement of Your kingdom, we pray. Amen.
Badghis residents say declining groundwater levels have left hundreds of families relying on a single well.
More than 17 million people across northern Nigeria are facing severe hunger as conflict, displacement and funding shortages drive food insecurity to its worst levels in nearly a decade, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday (2 July).
Advocacy groups recently wrote Thomas Barrack, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Türkiye and Envoy to Syria and Iraq, asking the U.S. to intervene in the detention of a Syrian Christian. The letter, sent on June 25, was penned by In Defense of Christians (IDC) and co-signed by…
ABUJA, Nigeria (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – Suspected Fulani herdsmen on Thursday (June 25) raided two Christian villages in the same area of Kaduna state, Nigeria, killing two Christians, kidnapping seven others and injuring dozens of others, residents…
Pray →God of All Comfort, we lift up the people of Kaduna State, where two of Your own have been slain and others kidnapped. In the midst of their grief and fear, be their refuge and fortress. You have promised to be near to the brokenhearted; draw close to the wounded and traumatized, and sustain them with Your peace that surpasses understanding. Reveal Jesus to the attackers, the authorities, and the surrounding communities, that they might see the light of Your love even in the darkness. Guard the hearts of the believers in Kaduna, that they might not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Let Your justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. We entrust these communities to Your faithful care, for You are our rock and our salvation. In the name of Jesus, our Redeemer. Amen.
The event will last a week and span several major cities in Iran and Iraq, with ceremonies in Tehran, Qom, Mashhad, Najaf, and Karbala.
Lebanon's Health Ministry says at least 4,298 people have been killed and 12,196 injured in Israeli attacks since March.
Emergency relief is becoming the focus in Venezuela’s La Guaira state as aid stations distribute food.
Pray →Compassionate Father, we lift up the people of La Guaira, Venezuela, as they navigate the aftermath of the earthquake and seek aid in their distress. You are near to the brokenhearted and save those crushed in spirit. May Your presence be felt tangibly through the hands and hearts of those providing relief. Sustain the aid workers and volunteers as they distribute food and comfort to the survivors. Provide for the needs of the families affected, and let hope rise in the midst of uncertainty. Reveal Jesus to those who are searching for peace amid the chaos, and let His light shine through the darkness of this hour. Establish Your kingdom in Venezuela, and let Your will be done in the lives of its people. In the name of Jesus, who is the anchor for our souls, Amen.
Seventeen years after the tragedy, the questions still matter. A Uyghur view. by Asiye Uyghur Seventeen years have passed since the July 5, 2009, Urumqi massacre. Yet the questions raised on that day have never disappeared.