Nepal: 'The authorities in Nepal say that at least 12 opposition demonstrators have been hurt in clashes with police in the capital, Kathmandu.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'Addiction behind the burka: how Afghan women use drugs to cope with legacy of war.' (Independent)

Nepal: 'Gurkhas who have served in the British Army are to be allowed to apply to settle in the UK and gain British citizenship.' (BBC)

Turkey: 'On the evening of September 24, police in Bodrum, Turkey sealed the doors of the Bodrum Grace Church, reportedly on orders from the governor of Bodrum. Giving no reason for the closure, the police also confiscated all church signage.' (Voice of the Martyrs)

India: 'The World Hindu Council (VHP) has announced the “reconversion” of 75 tribal Christians in the eastern state of Orissa, India, on September 19. During the ceremony, prominent Hindu leaders distributed yellow headbands sprinkled with sacred water to the new converts. Christian leaders say the VHP deliberately targeted nominal Christians who were no longer attending church services. The Rev. Dr. D.B. Hruday of the All India Christian Council said VHP members have threatened tribal Christians in Orissa with the loss of government welfare provisions if they do not return to Hinduism.' (Compass Direct)

India: 'A young bride who became the talk of India 16 months ago for calling off her wedding and getting her fiance arrested after he demanded more dowry money, has now made it on to the school curriculum.' (BBC)

China: 'How the Public Security system controls religious affairs: The Chinese police, or Public Security Bureau, is responsible for persecuting religious communities, arresting and detaining in the first half of 2004 hundreds of religious believers. It is also responsible for such normal police activities as apprehending drug traffickers and other criminals, directing traffic and patrolling the streets. But despite its very prominent role in state control of religious affairs, little is understood outside China about the massive monitoring and control system maintained by the Public Security Bureau, its very significant impact on religious affairs in China, and the nature of the discussions on religion and "cults" by members of the public security system. Forum 18 News Service here explains the system and its importance, as well as outlining ongoing discussions of reform amongst Chinese officials and scholars. But despite these discussions, the public security system is highly likely to remain an instrument of state repression.' (Forum 18)

Pakistan: 'Yousaf Masih, 33, a Protestant pastor in Pakistan’s Sindh province, is recovering slowly after being kidnapped, drugged and beaten severely two weeks ago by bearded assailants. Masih was abducted off a back street near his home on Sunday evening, September 12, while walking home from a worship service. His Muslim captors told Masih that they were taking revenge for the United States’ military presence in the country and ordered him to stop “praying for Muslims” in his Baptist church in Jacobabad. The attackers held him hostage for two days before dumping him along a road nearly 600 miles away. Married with two young children, Masih is undergoing treatment for his injuries. He is the second Protestant pastor subjected to kidnapping and torture at the hands of Islamist extremists in Pakistan within the past four months.' (Compass Direct)

Bhutan: 'The world of plastic purchases has finally reached the isolated Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan with four government ministers and eight businessmen to be issued Visa cards, state media reported.' (AFP)

Kyrgyzstan: 'Authorities in Kyrgyzstan say they have arrested two men who were trying to sell a large quantity of plutonium on the black market.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'Vehicles have stayed off the roads and schools and businesses are shut in Nepal in response to a strike called by the country's Maoist rebels.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'Afghanistan's first democratic election next month will be held in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, according to a report which blames America for continuing to pay warlords to hunt the Taliban.' (Independent)

China: 'Symbol of China's greatness for some, uncanny reminder of superstition for others: The dragon divides Chinese Christians and their non-believing neighbours. Tales of discarded homeware and of marital disputes about bed quilts featuring the dragon and phoenix are not uncommon among Chinese Christians.' (Amity News Service)

Brunei: 'Brunei's absolute ruler convened the tiny oil-rich sultanate's legislature for the first time in two decades Saturday to mull constitutional amendments expected to further strengthen his rule.' (CNN)

China: 'In an unusually blunt message, China's Communist Party has warned its members that corruption and incompetence could threaten its hold on power.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'No haven for returning refugees.' (BBC)

Egypt: 'Gamal Mubarak yesterday emerged from the ruling National Democratic Party's (NDP) annual convention as an ever more likely successor to his father, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. During the three-day convention, Gamal, 41, consolidated his image as being at the vanguard of the NDP's new, liberal - at least economically - way of thinking.' (Gulf Daily News)

Pakistan: 'Two years after seven Christians were gunned down at the Karachi headquarters of a Christian welfare agency, local police investigators have failed to identify a single suspect. Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the execution-style massacre of seven staff members shot to death on September 25, 2002, in their downtown office of the Institute of Peace and Justice (IPJ). Of the two Christians who survived the attack, 26-year-old Robin Sharif remains partially paralyzed due to a gunshot wound to the head. The other, Robin Piranditta, has been in hiding and separated from his family since his release from police custody. The IPJ’s long-time watchman was subjected to severe torture for 27 days while undergoing interrogation in connection with the shooting. Three separate sources who have carefully studied the case told Compass that “mounting evidence” indicates that members of Pakistan’s secret police were directly involved in the IPJ murders.' (Compass Direct)

Pakistan: 'Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said there is "no time to lose" to prevent an iron curtain falling between the West and Muslim nations. President Musharraf told the UN General Assembly in New York international disputes had to be solved to give Islamic nations justice.' (BBC)

China: 'A senior Chinese official has told the BBC the country's environmental problems have reached crisis levels. Pan Yue, deputy head of the State Environmental Protection Administration, said the problems now threatened economic performance. He said China's industrial development was unsustainable, because its resources could not cope.' (BBC)

UK and Kyrgyzstan: 'British nuclear Fuels plans to ship 1,800 tons of radioactive materials to Kyrgyzstan for reprocessing, in a scheme that has been condemned as "a back-door route to dump British nuclear waste on an impoverished former Soviet republic".' (Independent)

Turkey: ' The European Union enlargement chief has voiced satisfaction with Turkey's reforms as Ankara presses for formal negotiations on its EU membership bid.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'The US has confirmed a big increase in Afghanistan's opium poppy crop and says the illicit drugs trade is endangering efforts to rebuild the country. A US State Department official said poppy cultivation in Afghanistan was expected to jump by 40% this year.' (BBC)

China: 'Envoys of the Dalai Lama are in Tibet discussing his possible return to the disputed mountain nation. Lodi Gyari, the Dalai Lama's quasi ambassador in Washington, is leading a four-man delegation which arrived in China a week ago.' (Independent)

India and Pakistan: 'India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for a sustained war on terrorism and reaffirmed his willingness to continue peace talks with nuclear neighbor Pakistan.' (CNN)

Pakistan: 'The Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is due to hold talks expected to focus on fighting terrorism with US President George W Bush. President Musharraf has told the BBC that his government was playing a leading role in the fight against terrorism, especially al-Qaeda.' (BBC)

India: 'Alone at the Summit: Manmohan Singh is pragmatic, honest—and starting to show some steel as Prime Minister of India.' (Time)

India: 'The Indian government’s decision to repeal the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) is a major step forward for civil liberties in India.' (Human Rights Watch)

Vietnam: 'Believers have responded warily to the new religious ordinance which codifies the state's policies on religious affairs, though implementation will test if it makes religious practice easier or more difficult. The ordinance, adopted by the National Assembly's standing committee in June, comes into force on 15 November. Officials have already met religious representatives to discuss the content. The ordinance lays greater stress on believers "abiding by law" rather than needing specific permission for many activities, but still reflects official suspicion of religious groups. Registered groups will need annual permission to hold regular meetings in their own buildings, while conferences in other premises will require specific permission. Unclear is whether home meetings are allowed. Religious activities and even beliefs can be banned. Prisoners are banned from religious activity, while former prisoners need permission. Local officials must approve assignment of clergy, while religious groups' contacts with abroad remain under official control. The ordinance does not mention the return of confiscated places of worship. Three Catholic priests described the ordinance as "a tool of the state to oppress people of faith".' (Forum 18)

Libya: 'US President George Bush has lifted his country's trade embargo on Libya as a reward for Tripoli's decision to give up weapons of mass destruction.' (BBC)

Kazakhstan: 'The party of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has claimed a decisive victory in parliamentary elections held last Sunday.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'Several hundred people have taken part in a rally in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, to press for an end to the country's long-running civil war.' (BBC)

Lebanon: 'The Syrian army is preparing to redeploy its troops in Lebanon, Syria's ambassador to the United Nations says.' (BBC)

Pakistan: 'U.S. President George W. Bush should urge Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf to keep his promise to step down as army chief by the end of the year and fully restore civilian rule in Pakistan, Human Rights Watch said today. The two leaders are scheduled to meet Wednesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

'At the same time, Musharraf should call on Bush to support an independent commission, modeled on the 9/11 Commission, to investigate torture and other ill-treatment at U.S. military detention facilities, Human Rights Watch said.' (Human Rights Watch)

China: 'The relatives of three Christians being held in labor camps in mainland China have appealed to local authorities for an explanation of their crimes. A letter of appeal was also received by Christians in Hong Kong, detailing the arrests of the three men, who were sentenced to “re-education through labor” camps without trial. Meanwhile China has rejected charges of religious repression published in last week’s report of the United States Commission on Religious Freedom. Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan denied allegations of religious rights abuse and insisted that “Freedom of religious belief is protected by China’s constitution and other laws.”' (Compass Direct)

Jordan: 'The Muslim guardian of Christian widow Siham Qandah’s minor children failed to appear yesterday before the Al-Abdali Sharia court in Amman, Jordan. Abdullah al-Muhtadi, Qandah’s estranged brother who converted to Islam in his youth, was to have been questioned regarding his alleged misuse of a large portion of the children’s trust funds. In al-Muhtadi’s absence, the court declared that, if necessary, a police escort would be sent to ensure his attendance at the next hearing, set for October 10. Last month the Supreme Islamic Court of Jordan accepted an appeal against a lower court decision to award custody of Qandah’s children to her brother, and required the Al-Abdali court to investigate al-Muhtadi’s use of nearly 12,000 Jordanian dinars ($17,650) he took from the trust funds.' (Compass Direct)

India: 'The British Prime Minister The Rt. Hon Tony Blair MP and the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today signed a joint declaration, in which they set out plans to strengthen and deepen the bilateral relationship between the two countries, through a comprehensive strategic partnership.' (UK government)

China: 'China grapples with legacy of its 'missing girls': An age-old bias for boys, combined with China's one-child policy imposed since 1980, has produced what Gu Baochang, a leading Chinese expert on family planning, described as "the largest, the highest, and the longest" gender imbalance in the world.' (China Daily)

Turkey: 'Christian Training Ministry Building Targeted by Local Council: Ephesus Protestant Church at Selçuk is to be sealed by the local council on the grounds that the corrugated roofing and metal poles of the veranda contravene building regulations. This is likely to be followed by a fine of $1,000 and the forced demolishing of the veranda.' (Barnabas Fund)

Saudi Arabia: 'Brian O’Connor, a Christian guest worker from India, was produced before an Islamic court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 15, nearly six months after he was arrested, tortured and jailed for allegedly “spreading Christianity” in the strict Islamic kingdom. O’Connor’s hearing occurred just hours before U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell named Saudi Arabia as one of eight “countries of particular concern” for its “gross infringements of religious freedom.” The U.S. State Department’s annual religious freedom report on Saudi Arabia noted that “non-Muslim worshippers risk arrest, imprisonment, lashing, deportation and sometimes torture.” During his 90-minute hearing, O’Connor was informed for the first time of the legal charges against him, which include possession of alcohol, possession of pornographic movies and preaching Christianity. It was not clear whether any evidence was produced to support the possession charges. O’Connor himself has acknowledged that he led Bible studies for expatriate Christians in his home.' (Compass Direct)

Sudan: 'The UN’s secretary-general, Kofi Annan, has pleaded with Security Council members to pass a resolution ordering Sudan to stop the violence in its Darfur region. While they bicker over its wording, thousands of Darfuris continue to die each month.' (Economist)

India: 'The Indian cabinet agreed at a meeting on Friday to repeal the country's controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota). The Congress government - elected in May - has consistently said Pota is misused, particularly against Muslims.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'The last volunteers of the US Peace Corps have left Nepal after their organisation suspended its operations there because of safety concerns.' (BBC)

Kazakhstan: 'A father and daughter double act dominated Kazakhstan’s parliamentary elections yesterday, with early results suggesting president Nursultan Nazarbayev would win the largest slice of votes, while his daughter’s party would come in second.' (Scotsman)

Turkey: 'Fourteen people were wounded Sunday night when a bomb that had been planted inside a police car exploded outside an open-air concert venue in southern Turkey.' (CNN)

India: 'A protest strike is underway in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur to push for the repeal of a controversial anti-terror law.' (BBC)

Bangladesh: 'Flash floods hit east Bangladesh: About 50,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in eastern Bangladesh after a dam burst and flooded their villages, authorities say.' (BBC)

Pakistan: 'Pakistan's national assembly has began a debate on whether President Pervez Musharraf should serve both as president and armed forces chief.' (BBC)

Saudi Arabia: 'U.S. criticizes Saudi religious freedoms: The State Department said Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has engaged in "particularly severe violations" of religious freedom and for the first time included the kingdom, a key U.S. ally, on a list of countries that could be subject to sanctions.' (CNN)

Uzbekistan: 'After pressure earlier in the year on Protestant students in Nukus in the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan [Qoraqalpoghiston], two students were expelled from the town's medical institute in early September for membership of an "illegal" Protestant church, the Church of Christ. Protestant sources told Forum 18 News Service that the two - Aliya Sherimbetova and Shirin Artykbayeva – were told that a further reason for their expulsion was that their cases had been reported on the internet, an apparent reference to Forum 18's coverage. Six other local Protestant students have been harassed in Nukus this year. It is almost impossible for Christian churches of any denomination to gain official registration in Karakalpakstan and therefore to meet legally for worship.' (Forum 18)

Iran: 'Protestant church leaders in Iran learned this morning that one of 10 evangelical pastors reportedly released from detention by police authorities on September 12 is still being held incommunicado. Assemblies of God Pastor Hamid Pourmand, 47, has not returned to his home in Bandar-i Bushehr and is presumed to remain under police arrest in the Karaj-Tehran area, where he was initially detained with 80 other Assemblies of God leaders on September 9. A former Muslim who converted to Christianity nearly 25 years ago, Pourmand pastors a congregation in southern Iran. He and his wife, who is of Assyrian Christian background, have two children. Since the government-ordered execution of convert pastor Hussein Soodmand in December 1990, the Islamic Republic of Iran has enacted a harsh crackdown against the country’s evangelical churches and various house-church movements accused of evangelizing Muslims.' (Compass Direct)

Bangladesh and India: 'A two-day meeting between Bangladesh and India on sharing water from common rivers has ended in Dhaka without a major agreement.' (BBC)

Bangladesh: 'Bangladeshi authorities have closed all government offices in the capital, Dhaka, as the worst flooding in decades hit the city. Nearly all main roads in the city are under water. Officials say such severe flooding is "unprecedented". (BBC)

Turkey: 'Under pressure from no fewer than six EU governments, Turkey began to back down yesterday on its move to criminalise adultery, indicating strongly that the plan would be shelved. The retreat followed a direct warning that a move to make adultery punishable by up to two years in jail would threaten Ankara's attempt to open negotiations on EU membership.' (Independent)

Afghanistan: 'The man chosen to replace Ismail Khan as governor of Herat has stressed the need for restoring order in the riot-torn western Afghan city.' (BBC)

India: 'Paint and pageantry threatens to pollute India's rivers and seas.' (Independent)

China: 'First or Equals?: China's President Hu wants to consolidate power, but his predecessor Jiang Zemin has not yet faded away.' (Time)

Pakistan: 'Dangerous Commission: Pervez Musharraf's war on al-Qaeda and on Pakistan's domestic extremists has earned him many enemies.' (Time)

Iran: 'Ten evangelical pastors and elders of Iran’s Assemblies of God Church arrested four days ago were released on Sunday, “quite late in the night,” an Iranian source confirmed. Together with 70 other Assemblies of God representatives, the 10 leaders had gathered at a church center in Karaj for the church’s annual general conference on September 9 when the arrests occurred. Police officers swarmed onto the property that morning, blindfolding all the men and women present and taking them off to be fingerprinted and interrogated. All the detainees were released by nightfall except for the 10 pastors and elders. Reportedly they were not given any reason for their arrest, although they were asked “many questions about themselves and each other,” one source said. Due to close police surveillance, the 10 leaders have not made direct contact with other evangelical believers since their release. Since its declaration as an Islamic state in 1979, Iran has clamped down harshly on its Protestant citizens.' (Compass Direct)

India & UK: 'A matter of honour: The attempt by many Indian families worldwide to hold onto the traditions of the past is in increasing conflict with the expectations of modern women, often with tragic results.' (BBC)

China: 'China’s medical missionary work—a catalyst for research development: Medical missions have always been an important ministry arm of the Protestant missionary movement. Most history of medical missions has focused on medical work; medical research usually received little attention. This paper attempts to briefly examine the history of medical missions in China with a particular focus on their influence on research development.' (OMF)

Turkmenistan: 'Baptists raided and Jehovah's Witnesses reject presidential portraits: In the third known set of raids on religious communities in August, police interrogated and threatened members of a Baptist church in the western town of Balkanabad, warning Nikolai Matsenko that any further unregistered services in his home will lead to fines. Meanwhile a Jehovah's Witness elder told Forum 18 News Service from the capital Ashgabad that if his faith gets registration, it will reject official demands made of other faiths to hang the country's flag and a portrait of the president where it worships. "These are unacceptable demands," he declared. Forum 18 has been unable to get confirmation of a 5 September report that President Saparmurat Niyazov ordered the registration procedure for religious organisations to be tightened up once more.' (Forum 18)

Iran: 'Iranian police invaded the annual general conference of Iran’s Assemblies of God Church [on 9 September], arresting at least 80 church leaders gathered at the church’s denominational center in Karaj, 20 miles west of Tehran. Reportedly each individual was questioned separately by security officials, who had a specific list of questions. By evening, the authorities had released all the arrested Christians except for the 10 pastors among them. The location of these 10 men is unknown, and their families have not been allowed any contact with them. All the evangelicals released last night were forbidden to attend church services today. “This is the biggest crisis for evangelical believers in the country since three Protestant pastors were murdered 10 years ago,” another source told Compass.' (Compass Direct)

Nepal: 'Maoists step up pressure on firms: Renewed threats from Maoist rebels in Nepal have forced another 35 private firms to shut indefinitely, business leaders say.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'UN begins withdrawal from Herat: About 50 UN staff and aid workers are preparing to leave the western Afghan city of Herat following clashes between troops and angry demonstrators. At least seven people died as protests against the sacking of Herat's powerful governor, Ismail Khan, turned violent.' (BBC)

India: 'Police arrest 500 Hindus in riots at Muslim tomb: Thousands of police were deployed in India yesterday to protect a 17th-century Muslim tomb from extremists who wanted to tear it to the ground. More than 500 people were arrested and the police were forced to baton charge protesters who were throwing stones at them and attacking journalists trying to report on the situation.' (Independent)

China: 'Hong Kong pro-democracy candidates, stung by scandal, made limited gains against the Beijing camp in legislative polls as voters wary of alienating their communist rulers chose stability, results showed on Monday.' (Reuters)

India: 'Hindu alarm over surge in Muslim population: India's Hindu right wing seized on new census findings that show Muslims are the fastest-growing community in the country as "evidence" in its campaign against religious minorities.' (Independent)

Afghanistan: 'A triumph for nation-building, if it succeeds: Campaigning has begun in the first direct election for president in Afghanistan’s history. The voting will be a test of America’s nation-building efforts, which is why the Taliban militants have vowed to wreck it.' (Economist)

India: 'The Sweet Allure of Tech: Masses of starry-eyed Indians are trying to cash in on the country's tech boom. But where are the jobs?' (Time)

Turkey: 'Turkey's Muslim millions threaten EU values, says commissioner: A European commissioner set off a furious row yesterday after warning that Europe's Christian civilisation risked being overrun by Islam.' (Daily Telegraph)

India and Pakistan: 'The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan have finished two days of talks, struggling to show evidence of progress towards a lasting peace between their countries. Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours remain poisoned by their dispute over Kashmir.' (Economist)

Afghanistan: 'Campaigning has begun in earnest for Afghanistan's first presidential election, with a series of rallies across the country.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'In war-ravaged Afghanistan, holding the country's first election poses stiff challenges - harsh terrain, suspect security and simply ensuring that people cast their ballots properly.' (BBC)

Bangladesh: 'The UN World Food Programme has expressed concern that it has received less than 20% of the funds it asked for to help flood victims in Bangladesh.' (BBC)

Turkey: 'The European Commission laid out its opposition to plans by Turkey to criminalise adultery yesterday. The proposed law threatens to destabilise Ankara's bid to open EU entry talks.' (Independent)

China: 'Flooding and landslides set off by heavy rains have killed 55 people and left 52 missing in China's southwestern province of Sichuan.' (Reuters)

India: 'Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have drawn up a pilot project to use solar power to run computers in village schools.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'Calm as Kathmandu curfew lifted: Shops and businesses have reopened in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, after the authorities lifted a curfew imposed last Wednesday.' (BBC)

China: 'Cashing in on Tibet's religious traditions.' (BBC)

UK: 'Barnabas Fund has launched a major campaign raising concerns on laws proposed by the British government to ban incitement to religious hatred. The Fund echoes the fears of many senior lawyers, MPs, peers, human rights groups and civil liberties organizations who believe such laws could pose a major threat to free speech.' (Barnabas Fund)

India and Pakistan: 'Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan ended a first round of talks looking for ways to advance a faltering peace process, amid signs of discord over the decades-old dispute in Kashmir.' (CNN)

Saudi Arabia: ' A stampede at a branch of the furniture and lifestyle superstore Ikea in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ended with three people being crushed to death on Wednesday. Three men were trampled in the rush to claim vouchers at the opening of the first of a new style of Ikea showroom; 16 shoppers were injured.' (Independent)

Lebanon: ' Lebanon's parliament has voted to extend the term of its pro-Syrian president by three years. Deputies backed the constitutional amendment allowing Emile Lahoud to remain in office by 96 votes to 29. The move came a day after a UN warning to Syria not to interfere in Lebanon. A Security Council resolution demanded that foreign troops leave Lebanon. ' (BBC)

Nepal: 'An indefinite curfew has been imposed in the Nepalese capital following violent protests against the killing of 12 Nepali hostages in Iraq. Angry mobs in Kathmandu attacked a mosque, government offices and the offices of two Middle East airlines.' (BBC)

India: 'A group of Christians have returned to their village in Orissa, India, six months after Hindu villagers shaved their heads bare. The Christians and their families lived for six months in sheltered housing provided by a church in the state capital but returned home on August 8 under heavy police guard. However, fellow villagers did not welcome their return; the Christians were initially barred from using the public well and are still barred from local employment. Pastor Subas Samal and six others were also charged with “forced conversion” under Orissa’s anti-conversion law. The accused say they hope to settle the case out of court. Elsewhere in Orissa, church leaders have sharply criticized police for their recent failure to protect a Catholic church. An armed Hindu mob stormed a parish church in Raikia on August 27 while the police “remained spectators for hours to the whole attack.”' (Compass Direct)