News and information from the world of Interserve

Wednesday, June 30, 2004

India: 'Leopards from a national park on the edge of Mumbai, India's largest city, have killed 10 people this month -- prompting forest officials to let loose pigs and rabbits to feed the big cats.' (CNN)

China: 'The Battle for Hong Kong: One year after Hong Kong's half-million man march, Beijing and the pro-democracy camp are both fighting to win the hearts and minds of the territory's people.' (Time)

Pakistan: 'Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has been sworn in as Pakistan's new prime minister. He replaces Zafarullah Khan Jamali, who resigned on Saturday. The ailing Mr Hussain, 58, is expected to be replaced within two months once outgoing finance minister Shaukat Aziz finds a seat in the assembly.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'Hamid Karzai has appealed for more Nato troops to maintain security during the Afghan elections. His plea reminds the West that removing a regime does not solve everything. Kim Sengupta examines the state of his nation.' (Independent)

Tuesday, June 29, 2004

Russia: 'Do foreign missionaries bear "the hallmarks of espionage" in Khabarovsk region? Local Orthodox in Khabarovsk share the concerns of Orthodox in Sakhalin region about foreign missionaries, complaining to Forum 18 News Service of "espionage" and "Catholic expansion". However, throughout most of Khabarovsk region, Baptists, Catholics, and members of the New Apostolic Church have told Forum 18 that they have not recently encountered problems regarding access or visas for foreign missionaries. One exception appears to be access by foreign religious personnel to closed cities, which is reportedly very difficult to obtain, even though US citizens are employed at a military facility in one such city. This issue particularly affects Catholics, as the majority of Catholic priests in Russia are foreigners. One anonymous Protestant source has also told Forum 18 that it is now practically impossible for foreign citizens to conduct informal religious work in the Russian Far East.' (Forum 18)

China (text reproduced here; link to changing page): 'Chinese police arrested 100 house church leaders on June 11 as they gathered for a retreat in the central city of Wuhan. Xing Jinfu, 39, who has already been arrested three times in the past for church related activities, was among those detained. The church leaders are being held at an unknown location, according to the China Aid Association. On the same day, Shen Xianfeng, a senior leader of the China Gospel Fellowship (CGF), was placed under house arrest. Reports of increasing arrests of house church leaders began to filter out of China in April, when the New York-based Committee for Investigation on Persecution of Religion in China reported that Xu Shuangfu of the controversial Three Grades Servants movement was kidnapped in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. The mass arrest of CGF leaders confirms the belief of many Christians that the Chinese Communist Party apparently has not changed its repressive religious policies under the leadership of President Hu Jintao.' (Compass Direct)

Turkey: 'French President Jacques Chirac has taken U.S. President George W. Bush to task over his call for Turkey's admission to the European Union.' (CNN)

Libya: 'America restored diplomatic relations with Libya last night after a break of 24 years, prolonged by links between Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime and international terrorism, including the Lockerbie bombing.' (Daily Telegraph)

Arab World: 'A new wave of openness? The Passion raises important questions.' (Yemen Times)

Iraq: 'Iraq's sovereignty restored, up to a point: The American-led coalition has handed power to Iyad Allawi’s interim government two days ahead of schedule. Mr Allawi now faces an enormous struggle to establish his credibility among frustrated Iraqis and, above all, improve security.' (Economist)

Turkey: 'The Turkish government’s heavy-handed interference in universities, coupled with a strict ban on headscarves for students and teachers, inhibits academic freedom, Human Rights Watch said in a report issued today. The European Court of Human Rights is scheduled today to rule on two Turkish cases concerning women excluded from higher education for wearing the headscarf.' (Human Rights Watch)

Monday, June 28, 2004

Mongolia: 'Goldrush towns are rising from the dirt, turning the central part of the land of Genghis Khan into a squalid Wild West.' (Reuters)

Afghanistan: 'When Neelab Kanishka fled Afghanistan for Pakistan with her family in 1989 at the age of 11, the idea of ever returning to her war-torn native land seemed far-fetched. She could not have conceived in her wildest imagination, Kanishka said, that 15 years later she'd not only be coming back, but also directing one of the nation's largest employers. Nor would she have envisioned her role as envoy of a discount Internet retailer located in, of all places, Salt Lake City.' (Wired)

Afghanistan: 'In a corner of the Afghanistan capital of Kabul, a small project with big ambitions is taking shape to help youngsters with cerebral palsy.' (BBC)

Pakistan: 'Pakistan's Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali resigned and dissolved the cabinet on Saturday, ending a 19-month tenure during which he was seen to have lost the confidence of President General Pervez Musharraf. In a two-step succession plan, the premiership will pass to outgoing Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz after an interim period of 45 to 50 days under the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who heads the ruling pro-military Pakistan Muslim League (PML) party.' (Reuters Alertnet)

Iran: 'Iran's police blamed Britain and the United States for bumper poppy crops in Afghanistan that are enflaming social problems in the Islamic Republic where more than 2 million people are drug addicts.' (Reuters)

Afghanistan: 'Afghans will vote in the first democratic election in their country's history in September. But whoever wins will have to deal with violent warlords, drug barons and elements of the deposed Taleban regime, still lurking in the shadows of this war-torn nation.' (BBC)

Mongolia: 'Mongolia's opposition Democratic Coalition appears to have made strong gains in Sunday's general election. Unofficial results suggested the democrats and ruling MPRP could end up with more than 30 seats each in the Great Hural, or parliament.' (BBC)

India & Pakistan: 'Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan have wrapped up two days of peace and security talks in New Delhi on an upbeat note, saying they have gained momentum. The session between the foreign secretaries, which focused in part on the disputed and conflict-ridden Kashmir region, was "positive and constructive", a Pakistan government spokesman said.' (CNN)

Afghanistan: 'Taliban gunmen shot dead 16 people after discovering that they had registered to vote in the general election scheduled for September, Afghan officials said yesterday. Targeting would-be voters appears to be a new tactic in the violent campaign by the Taliban against the election, which they say is intended to bolster the US-backed government. Previous election-related attacks have focused on registration offices and their workers.' (Guardian)

Friday, June 25, 2004

Turkey: 'Turkey steps up summit security after blasts: George Bush made it clear yesterday he would not be deterred from visiting Turkey for next week's Nato summit despite two bomb attacks which demonstrated the country's vulnerability to terrorism. At least four people were killed and 15 injured by a bomb which exploded in a bus outside an Istanbul hospital.' (Guardian)

Afghanistan: 'Representatives of two opposing militia factions in the central Afghan province of Ghor say they are not ready for reconciliation. Their declaration comes six days after heavy fighting around the provincial capital Chaghcharan.' (BBC)

India: 'India's new government will aim for reforming public institutions to meet the aspirations of people, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said.' (BBC)

Saudi Arabia: 'Saudi Arabia will allow foreigners who feel threatened by the wave of militant violence in the kingdom to carry guns for their protection, Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz said.' (CNN)

Iraq: 'Iraqi insurgents launched their first co-ordinated offensive yesterday, storming police stations and government buildings in attacks that left more than 85 dead and 320 wounded. Six days before the return of sovereignty to a US-appointed Iraqi government, American forces were fighting desperately to regain control of cities ringing Baghdad.' (Independent)

Thursday, June 24, 2004

Turkey: 'Soner Onder released from Turkish prison.' (Open Doors)

Turkey: 'A small bomb exploded Thursday in front of the hotel where U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to stay when he visits Ankara for meetings with Turkish leaders. One police officer was badly injured, a security official said.' (CNN)

World: A CBC article by Jean Chamberlain Froese on Save The Mothers International, working to make childbirth safer.

World: 'Kofi Annan has welcomed the decision by the United States to abandon efforts to stop its troops from being prosecuted by the International Criminal Court. The United Nations secretary general said the move would help to maintain unity in the security council at a difficult time.' (BBC)

Iran'Iranian authorities are expected to release eight British sailors and Marines Thursday morning, the British Foreign Office said Wednesday'(CNN)

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Sudan: 'Kofi Annan has said the United Nations should not be blamed for the world's inaction in Sudan's Darfur conflict.' (BBC)

India: 'India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has pledged to stick to its hardline Hindu stance, despite shock defeat in general elections.' (BBC)

World: 'The U.S. government restated its 2003 accounting of terrorist attacks Tuesday, reporting a sharp increase in the number of significant attacks and more than doubling its initial count of those killed. The State Department's annual Patterns of Global Terrorism report now counts 208 terrorist attacks as having occurred in 2003, with 625 dead. When the report was released in April, it counted 307 deaths in a total of 190 terror attacks.' (CNN)

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

India: 'Leaders of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have begun a major meeting to review their defeat in the recent general election.' (BBC)

Syria: 'Syria has jailed a man who downloaded material from a banned emigre website and e-mailed it to others. Abdel Rahman al-Shaghouri, 32, received a two-and-a-half year sentence for "publishing false news that saps the morale of the nation".' (BBC)

India & Pakistan: 'There were tears of joy on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir on Monday as the BBC brought together families divided by conflict. In the first initiative of its kind, the BBC established a webcam allowing families to communicate with their loved ones for the first time in years.' (BBC)

Monday, June 21, 2004

Saudi Arabia: 'Women heard, not seen, at Saudi forum on rights
National discussion seen as "good first step".' (Houston Chronicle)

Mongolia: 'Mongolians seek to make a name for themselves: After more than 80 years without surnames, picking one is as much about personality as it is ancestry.' (Globe and Mail)

Afghanistan: 'The Afghan government will send hundreds of troops to reassert central authority and disarm rebel militia in the capital of a central province overrun last week by forces of a renegade commander.' (Reuters Alertnet)

India & Pakistan: 'India and Pakistan agreed Sunday to extend a nuclear testing ban and to set up a hotline between their foreign secretaries aimed at preventing misunderstandings that might lead to a nuclear war.' (CNN)

Nepal: 'Authorities in Nepal say Maoist rebels killed 14 policemen and four civilians in an ambush in the country's west.' (BBC)

Friday, June 18, 2004

China: 'The UN says China has postponed a long-awaited inspection visit by its special rapporteur on torture which was due to have taken place in late June. Beijing says that it needs more time to prepare and that this should be read as a sign of just how much importance it attaches to the visit.' (BBC)

World: 'The number of refugees and displaced people around the world has fallen by 18% to just over 17m - the lowest level in a decade. The United Nations refugee agency, which released the figures, said this was due to increased international efforts to help uprooted people.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'As Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, visits Washington, security in his country worsens. Many now doubt whether NATO can make voting in September’s elections safe beyond Kabul without more troops.' (Economist)

Wednesday, June 16, 2004

UK: 'Gurkhas have swapped their homes in the shadow of Mount Everest to solve a recruitment crisis for a bus operator in rural Wales. Swansea-based 2Travel has employed 21 of the former British Army soldiers to drive passengers in Carmarthenshire. The company was so desperate for new drivers it opened a recruitment office in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu.' (BBC)

India: 'Maoist rebels in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh have responded positively to last week's invitation by the state government for peace talks. But the outlawed People's War Group (PWG) insisted that the government should first declare a ceasefire.' (BBC)

World: 'Silent witnesses: 20 million civilians lost to the world. - The innocent are the first casualties of war. Yesterday the UN admitted that it is powerless to help.' (Independent)

Afghanistan: 'President Bush on Tuesday claimed victory in the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and announced what he called five new initiatives to strengthen the links between that country and the United States.' (CNN)

UK: 'A schoolgirl lost her High Court battle yesterday for the right to wear an Islamic gown in the classroom. Shabina Begum, 15, of Luton, Beds, had argued that she was being denied her "right to education and to manifest her religious beliefs" at Denbigh High School, a 1,000-pupil comprehensive where almost 80 per cent of pupils are Muslim.' (Daily Telegraph)

Turkey: 'Despite significant recent rights reforms, the Turkish government should further improve its record in four key areas, Human Rights Watch said today. The European Union will assess Turkey’s progress toward fulfilling the human rights criteria required for opening of formal membership negotiations in December. Human Rights Watch said that freedom of expression, torture and ill-treatment, freedom of assembly and internal displacement are all areas where important initial progress has been achieved but where significant additional efforts are needed to demonstrate lasting positive change.' (Human Rights Watch)

Tuesday, June 15, 2004

China: 'The Chinese authorities say they will demolish fewer buildings this year to try to keep a lid on growing unrest over evictions. Huge swathes of residential housing have been destroyed in recent years as China modernises its cities, sparking widespread discontent from those forced to leave their homes.' (BBC)

World: 'Ten million people or more are in dire need of food and other assistance because aid workers cannot reach them, the UN's humanitarian chief has warned. Undersecretary General Jan Egeland said operations in 20 countries were either being sabotaged on the ground or undermined by a lack of funds.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'A land mine set by suspected rebels blew up two police trucks Monday in western Nepal, killing at least 21 officers, police said.' (CNN)

India: 'Hindus smash up cinema after Bollywood breaks lesbian taboo.' (Independent)

Saudi Arabia: 'A Kingdom in Crisis: A wave of terror has Saudis asking whether their rulers can stand up to al-Qaeda.' (Time)

Monday, June 14, 2004

World: 'Annan: World has become 'more unequal' - Says developing nations can't rely on donors, agencies for aid: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan lamented new struggles that developing countries face in trying to pull their people out of poverty in a speech Saturday to the Group of 77.' (CNN)

World: 'International rules on trade are tightening the noose around poor nations and trapping them in poverty, aid group Oxfam says. Six of the world's 10 poorest countries are less prosperous than they were two decades ago, according to its report.' (BBC)

India: 'Tourist fears after Kashmir attack: A grenade attack on a crowded restaurant in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed four people, including two tourists and a young child, and wounded 25 others.' (CNN)

Saudi Arabia: 'Foreign Office lets staff leave Saudi as fears grow for kidnapped US worker.' (Independent)

China: 'Shanghai's former Anglican cathedral, spiritual home of Britain's colonial classes in the Far East for almost a century, has been handed back to the Church after years of communist neglect in response to a surge in support for Christianity in China.' (Daily Telegraph)

Turkey: 'In a sign of growing respect for the rights of its largest ethnic minority, Turkey has allowed Kurdish-language broadcasts to begin and has freed from jail a leading Kurdish politician and three colleagues. But Turkey still has some stains to clear from its human-rights record.' (Economist)

China: 'New figures suggest China’s communists are still in command of their economy.' (Economist)

Friday, June 11, 2004

Afghanistan: 'Afghan President Hamid Karzai predicted Thursday that recent violence in Afghanistan will increase with the approach of national elections planned for September, and called for more international aid to ensure they are not derailed.' (CNN)

India: 'Kashmir border talks 'possible': India's new Foreign Minister Natwar Singh has indicated he would not rule out redrawing borders with Pakistan in the search for peace.'

World: 'Terror attacks increased in 2003: The State Department acknowledged Thursday it was wrong in reporting terrorism declined worldwide last year, a finding used to boost one of President Bush's chief foreign policy claims -- success in countering terror.' (CNN)

China: 'Giant panda makes a stunning comeback as new study in China marks 40% rise in numbers.' (Independent)

Thursday, June 10, 2004

UK: there are European, London mayoral and assembly, and local elections today. Here are some websites which encourage Christians to be involved in politics in the UK:
- Christians in Politics
- CARE
- Movement for Christian Democracy
(mention doesn't mean endorsement; non-mention doesn't mean non-endorsement; it's just a quick list)

Saudi Arabia (text reproduced here; link to changing page): 'An Indian national abducted and tortured by Saudi Arabia’s religious police for “spreading Christianity” remains jailed without trial 10 weeks after his detention. Brian Savio O’Connor, 36, was accosted in the Mursalat district of Riyadh on the evening of March 25 by four agents of the muttawa (religious police). After seeing his Saudi identity card listing O’Connor as a Christian, they dragged him to a nearby muttawa office, chained his legs and hung him upside down for seven hours. The four intermittently beat him on the chest and ribs and whipped the soles of his feet with electrical wires. In response to questions, O’Connor declared that he did preach the Bible, but denied converting Muslims to Christianity. At 2 a.m., the muttawa took O’Connor to the Olaya police station and ordered him put under arrest on charges of preaching Christianity, selling liquor and peddling drugs. A cargo agent for Saudia Airlines for the past six years, O’Connor, currently shares a windowless cell with 16 other inmates at Al-Hair Prison. The All India Catholic Union, the Indian Bishops’ Conference and officials of the Indian Embassy have filed appeals to Saudi authorities on O’Connor’s behalf, but their inquiries have gone unanswered.' (Compass Direct)

Arab World: 'World leaders at the G8 summit endorsed a watered-down version of a US proposal on democratic and economic reforms in the Middle East and North Africa.' (BBC)

India: 'The government in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has formally invited the outlawed Peoples War Group (PWG) for talks.' (BBC)

India: 'India's parliament closed on Tuesday after the opposition demanded that the new government sack ministers it deems unfit for office.' (BBC)

Saudi Arabia: 'Almost half of all Saudis said in a poll conducted last year that they have a favorable view of Osama bin Laden's sermons and rhetoric, but fewer than 5 percent thought it was a good idea for bin Laden to rule the Arabian Peninsula.' (CNN)

Turkey: 'A nobel peace prize nominee, Leyla Zana, and three other Kurdish former MPs were freed from prison in Turkey yesterday. Their release is likely to bolster Turkey's bid to join the European Union, which viewed the four as political prisoners.' (Independent)

Afghanistan: 'At least 11 Chinese workers were killed when "armed terrorists" stormed a construction site in northern Afghanistan, China's state media reported.' (CNN)

Tuesday, June 08, 2004

Iran (text reproduced here; link to changing page): 'The wife and children of an Iranian Christian pastor have been released from jail a week after their arrest in northern Iran, although the pastor and three other local church leaders remain imprisoned in an unknown location. Pastor Khosroo Yusefi’s wife Nasrin, the couple’s 18-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter were allowed to return home to Chalous, a town near the Caspian Sea in Mazanderan province, on Sunday evening, May 30. Two other church leaders arrested a month earlier on unspecified charges were also released on May 30, sources in Iran confirmed to Compass. But the same day, Iranian police arrested another Protestant church leader off the street in Nowshahr, less than 20 miles from Chalous. The latest Christian under arrest is believed to be jailed together with Yusefi and two other Christians arrested earlier in May.' (Compass Direct)

Pakistan (text reproduced here; link to changing page): 'Six months after his arrest on blasphemy charges, Pakistani Christian Anwer Masih has been ordered released on bail by the Lahore High Court. Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jilani granted bail to Masih, 30, on June 4, overriding protests from the advocate general. The high court judge declared that no direct evidence had been produced against the defendant and ordered Masih set free following payment of a 20,000 rupee ($345) bail bond. Precautionary measures for his security are being arranged and Masih is expected to be released from the Lahore District Jail within the next few days. Masih was arrested on November 30, 2003, after Naseer Ahmad, a neighbor and former Christian who had embraced Islam, accused him of slandering Muslim prophets and beliefs. Only a handful of Christians jailed in Pakistan on charges of blasphemy have ever been granted bail, and those freed have been forced to remain in hiding afterward. One bailed Christian was shot and killed minutes after he had appeared at a court hearing.' (Compass Direct)

Afghanistan: 'Aid agencies and people preparing for September's elections have again been targeted in attacks in Afghanistan.' (BBC)

Pakistan: 'Pakistani authorities have charged four officials in southern Sindh province for providing contaminated water [in Hyderabad] that caused the deaths of 38 people, mostly children, a minister said.' (Yahoo)

Saudi Arabia: 'The attack on two BBC journalists in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh is another reminder of the dangers now faced by foreigners in the conservative Muslim kingdom.' (BBC)

Lebanon: 'Israeli airstrike lands within 12 miles of Lebanese capital: Israeli Air Force warplanes penetrated deep into Lebanese airspace last night to launch what military sources said was a retaliatory attack on a base used by Palestinian militants south of Beirut.' (Independent)

China: 'China warns the city to forget democracy and get back to business. But many Hong Kongers aren't listening.' (Time)

Monday, June 07, 2004

Egypt: 'Egypt is about to begin the painstaking five-year task of cataloguing and restoring some 90,000 pharaonic and other artifacts which have lain almost forgotten for decades since they were dug from ancient ruins.' (Reuters)

China: 'In a small corner of the giant construction site that is China, something rather quaint is happening: modern skyscrapers are giving way to Georgian terraces, concrete squares are being discarded in favour of English village greens, and instead of the usual eight-lane superhighways there are winding cobbled lanes. That, at least, is the ambitiously low-rise plan for a giant new satellite-city near Shanghai that aims to recreate the most picturesque elements of a British town to lure homebuyers from China's newly affluent middle class.' (Guardian)

Saudi Arabia: 'Saudi Arabia's highest religious authority has issued an edict calling on all Saudis to report anyone they suspect of terrorist activities.' (BBC)

Pakistan: 'Several international aid organisations have suspended their operations in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, following threats of suicide attacks.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'Afghan children fall prey to killers who trade human organs.' (Independent)

Bangladesh: 'US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has left Dhaka after discussions with Bangladeshi leaders on the situation in Iraq, but he did not ask for a deployment of Bangladeshi troops there.' (CNN)

Saudi Arabia: 'BBC cameraman Simon Cumbers has been killed and security correspondent Frank Gardner seriously injured in a gun attack in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.' (BBC)

Pakistan: 'Anwar Masih, a 30-year-old Christian jailed in Lahore, Pakistan on what many believe to be “a trumped up” blasphemy charge, has been released on bail.' (Assist News Service)

Saudi Arabia: 'My life inside the Saudi kingdom: The expat life in a well-heeled compound has its compensations, despite the restrictions on entertainment, driving and clothes, says Fiona Moss.' (Daily Telegraph)

Friday, June 04, 2004

Afghanistan: The Kabul golf course is back in action. (Yahoo)

Pakistan: 'One person has been killed and several injured in clashes between protesters and security forces on the outskirts of the northern Pakistani city of Gilgit.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'The international relief agency Medecins Sans Frontieres has suspended operations in Afghanistan after five of its workers were killed in an ambush.' (BBC)

China: 'Despite its booming economy, China is no closer to establishing democracy than when the People's Liberation Army massacred protesting students in Beijing in 1989.' (Independent)

Thursday, June 03, 2004

Uzbekistan: 'Will Nukus Medical Institute respect religious freedom or not?' (Forum 18)

Turkmenistan: 'Unregistered religious activity still illegal.' (Forum 18)

Tajikistan: 'Who murdered Baptist missionary Sergei Besarab?' (Forum 18)

Pakistan (text reproduced here; link to changing page): 'A Pakistani police constable bludgeoned to death a Christian jailed on blasphemy charges, declaring he “wanted to earn a place in paradise.” Samuel Masih died last Friday from severe head injuries inflicted by Faryad Ali, a Muslim police officer in his late 20s. In the early morning hours of May 24, Ali entered the Lahore hospital ward where the Christian prisoner was being treated for advanced tuberculosis and struck Masih on the head with a brick-cutter hammer, despite a policeman on duty near the prisoner’s hospital bed. Jailed last August on accusations that he had desecrated a local mosque, Masih worked as a whitewasher and painter before his arrest. Muhammad Yaqoob, librarian of the Idara Darusalam Jinnah Garden Mosque in Lahore, filed the blasphemy charges, claiming he had seen Masih spit on the wall of a mosque near the library. “This is a case that brings out, like nothing else, the myriad contradictions these [blasphemy] laws have infused in this state and society,” commented a Daily Times editorial the day after Masih’s death. “The fact is that it is a bad law both in its conception and its implementation.”' (Compass Direct)

UK: 'Community leaders are urging Muslims to turn out and vote in the local and European elections to counter the "threat" from the political far right. In an open letter to the Islamic community, the Muslim Council of Britain warns a low turnout on 10 June could hand success to the BNP.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'The head of the UN drugs control agency is due to meet Afghan president Hamid Karzai amid rising concern about the growth in the country's drugs trade.' (BBC)

UK: 'Muslims made to feel like an enemy within by Islamophobic attitudes, report concludes: Hardening prejudice against Islam is creating a disaffected underclass of young Muslim "time-bombs" likely to explode into violence, the Government was warned yesterday.' (Independent)

Afghanistan: 'Five aid workers, including three foreigners [a Belgian woman, a Dutch man and a Swiss man], were killed on Wednesday when gunmen opened fire on their car in the northwestern Afghan province of Badghis, the worst attack on the aid community since the fall of the Taliban.' They were employees of the medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). (CNN)

Wednesday, June 02, 2004

Nepal: 'Nepal's King Gyanendra has reappointed as prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba - the same man the king sacked as premier in 2002.' (CNN)

India and Pakistan: 'India and Pakistan have decided to hold peace talks later this month. Senior diplomats from the two countries will hold talks in Delhi on 27 and 28 June, India's Foreign Minister Natwar Singh told a news conference.' (BBC)

World: 'Oil prices leapt to a new 21-year high of $42 a barrel in US trading yesterday as markets reacted to the growing signs of instability in Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest exporter.' (Independent)

Tuesday, June 01, 2004

Sudan: 'Sudan's military ink a ceasefire with rebels amid church growth: Spectacular number of new Christians despite persecution, says Open Doors.' (Assist News Service)

Nepal: 'Nepal's main political parties have failed to agree on a candidate for the post of prime minister. King Gyanendra had given the parties until Monday afternoon to suggest a replacement for royal appointee Surya Bahadur Thapa, who quit on 7 May.' (BBC)

Saudi Arabia: 'A nationwide manhunt is under way in Saudi Arabia for at least three Islamic militants who evaded capture after a bloody 25-hour hostage siege in Khobar. Police have set up checkpoints to catch the gunmen who killed 22 people and took about 50 foreigners hostage.' (BBC)

Saudi Arabia: 'Isolated abroad, hated at home: House of Saud faces uncertain future.' (Independent)

China: 'China readying for conflict: Communist leaders in Beijing have long talked of a "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, but military preparations seem to contradict that talk, according to a Pentagon analysis.' (CNN)

Pakistan: 'A bomb in a Shia mosque in Karachi yesterday killed at least 15 people and injured more than 40, heaping more pressure on President Pervaiz Musharraf of Pakistan. The bomb, which exploded during evening prayers, appeared to be in retaliation for the murder of a leading Sunni cleric on Sunday and took place despite the increased presence of police and paramilitary forces guarding Shia mosques.' (Daily Telegraph)

China: 'The Exile and the Entrepreneur: Fifteen years on, two Chinese cousins still wrestle with Tiananmen's legacy.' (Time)