Millions of Christians spent Good Friday in the most extensive global lockdown in history ahead of Easter when large and smaller congregations plan online worship services due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The United States and Hungary have agreed to help persecuted Christians in several nations. Still, questions remain about their treatment of Christian asylum seekers and religious rights violations closer to home.

A former Muslim who turned to Christianity has been released after spending most of the past decade in Iranian prisons for his Christian activities.

Tens of thousands of panicked-stricken people, many of them Christians, are seen fleeing north-east Syria amid fears that a brief ceasefire will not end a deadly Turkish invasion.