Today’s Headlines: 2 NATIONAL WORKERS WITH WORLD VISION GUNNED DOWN IN AFGHANISTAN

HINDU EXTREMISTS IN INDIA ATTACK 7 CHRISTIANS IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS

ANOTHER STATE IN INDIA PASSES ANTI-CONVERSION LEGISLATION

MILLIONS COME TO CHRIST AS ‘JESUS’ FILM VIEWINGS REACH 5.4 BILLION

Today’s Top Stories:2 NATIONAL WORKERS WITH WORLD VISION GUNNED DOWN IN AFGHANISTAN

Gunmen in Afghanistan’s western Ghor province killed two workers for the Christian aid agency World Vision. Both Afghan, the doctor and driver were driving back to Chaghcharan from the town of Charsada where they had delivered medicine, said Karimuddin Razazada, deputy governor of Ghor province. In another area, an attacker traveling by taxi detonated two grenades at a border checkpoint, killing a civilian and wounding three others. Afghanistan is experiencing the worst fighting and violence since late 2001 when the Taliban regime was first overthrown by the U.S. invasion. NATO is increasing troop numbers to 16,000 from 9,700 in preparation for taking over security duties in the region. Taliban fighters appear to be adopting methods used by Iraqi militants. (MSNBC/Aljazeera)* HCJB World Radio is bringing words of hope and encouragement to people across Afghanistan via radio. Together with partners, Christian broadcasts go out via AM in three of the country’s major languages, Turkmen, Uzbek and Southern Uzbek.

HINDU EXTREMISTS IN INDIA ATTACK 7 CHRISTIANS IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS

Three young Christians in southern India’s Karnataka state were attacked while visiting hospital patients on Monday, July 17. At least 20 extremist Hindu Sena attacked the men, accusing them of “forced conversions” at the Megan Government Hospital. The men were taken to the police station and arrested for handing out Christian literature to the patients.

The men, known only as Daniel, 17, Manju, 21, and Umesh, 27, were members of the Harvest Full Gospel Church. In a statement to a local newspaper, Umesh insisted their only intention was “informing people about Christianity through books, and we did not lure anyone for conversion.” Hospital authorities say no one received hospital approval to distribute literature. The believers were released on bail Saturday, July 22, and are to appear in court again on Monday, July 31.

In another part of Karnataka state, four Gospel for Asia Bible college students were beaten and arrested for distributing Bibles and Christian literature. Police released them on Wednesday, July 19. (Compass Direct)

Three men have been arrested in connection with the Mumbai, India, train bombings that killed more than 200 people and injured more than 700 Tuesday, July 11. A local board member for Hopegivers International’s partner, Emmanuel Ministry, was injured in one of the blasts. Executive Director Michael Glenn said, “One of our board members, P.C. Varghese, was on one of the trains and was seriously injured. In fact, he was the only one to survive the blast inside his car.” Varghese joked from his hospital bed, “Even death didn’t want me.” Varghese faces months of rehabilitation and surgeries requiring more than $5,000 to cover medical bills and support his wife and two daughters during his recovery. Hopegivers already has distributed more than $15,000 of emergency aid to victims of the bombing where the average worker earns about $30 per month. (Mission Network News/Christian Newswire)

ANOTHER STATE IN INDIA PASSES ANTI-CONVERSION LEGISLATION

Central India’s Madhya Pradesh state assembly passed a controversial bill amending the state’s ironically named Freedom of Religion Act of 1968, making religious conversion by force or allurement illegal. The bill was passed by voice vote without allowing discussion. Under the new law, a person desiring to change religion must voluntarily inform the district magistrate. The priest or organization performing the conversion must also inform authorities a month in advance. Police must verify the credentials of the priest or organization and verify the conversion is not a result of force or allurement. Indian human rights activists and Christians have strongly opposed the law. One noted, “The proposal is not only anti-Christian, but it will disproportionately affect scheduled castes like the Dalits and scheduled tribes who will be denied a life of dignity and the freedom to choose their faith.” (WorldWide Religious News)

* Radio programs in 17 languages air to India from HCJB World Radio-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra. The programs are produced at the ministry’s studios in New Delhi, India.

MILLIONS COME TO CHRIST AS ‘JESUS’ FILM VIEWINGS REACH 5.4 BILLION

As of Sunday, July 1, the “JESUS” film had been translated into 959 languages around the world. The JESUS Film Project reports that the film has allowed 5.4 billion people in more than 200 countries to hear the gospel with 201 million viewers making decisions for Christ. At work since 1979, the JESUS Film Project has more than 2,200 teams around the globe, and some 1,500 denominations and mission organizations are using the film as part of their ministry. More than 200 additional translations are in process. (Mission Network News)