Asia

• Southeast Asia: digital doors open the Gospel for islanders 8 October 2026
  Missionaries serving remote island communities across Southeast Asia are discovering new opportunities to share Jesus through social media and digital evangelism. International Mission Board missionary Amanda Clarkston, who has served in the region for 33 years, says traditional approaches involving village gatherings and personal conversations have become increasingly challenging. Many…
• Pakistan: high court orders case of Maria Shahbaz to be reopened 8 October 2026
  Lahore High Court has ordered the reopening of a police case against a Muslim man accused of abducting, forcibly converting and marrying Christian girl Maria Shahbaz. The court admitted a petition from Maria’s family seeking restoration of the case against Shehryar Ahmad, giving them another route to pursue criminal proceedings.…
• Yemen: deaths and injuries as conflict intensifies between Houthis and government forces 8 October 2026
  Three people have been killed and 36 injured in attacks on two Saudi Arabian airports as fighting intensifies between Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces. One person died and eight were wounded at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while two died and 28 were injured at Abha airport. The…
• India: opposition MPs arrested briefly in demonstrations over revising election rolls 8 October 2026
  Opposition MPs have intensified protests against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his resignation over alleged malpractice in the process of revising electoral rolls. On 6 October, lawmakers led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attempted to march from parliament towards the election commission headquarters in New Delhi, but when the…
• Russia: doubts persist about possible plague victim 8 October 2026
  Health authorities have denied any epidemic risk following the death of a 28-year-old laboratory employee at the Irkutsk anti-plague research institute in Siberia. Darya Shipilova died last week amid reports of a possible plague infection and a second suspected case. Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said nearly five thousand laboratory…