Afghanistan: 'At least six people have been killed after clashes broke out in the western Afghan city of Herat, according to officials and medical staff. The clashes between Afghan troops and police reportedly broke out after an argument over a woman. The United Nations and aid groups based in the western city have told staff to move to their bunkers for safety.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'King Gyanendra of Nepal has lifted a state of emergency he imposed after taking direct control of the country three months ago. It is not clear what impact the move will have. There is no sign he is restoring multi-party democracy.' (BBC)

China: 'Taiwan's opposition leader and Chinese President Hu Jintao have vowed to work together at the first meeting between the rivals in half a century. But Taiwan's government has slammed the controversial talks, saying they would do nothing to improve frosty relations.' (CNN)

Tunisia: 'The Tunisian government promised yesterday that it will no longer place prisoners in solitary confinement for more than 10 days, Human Rights Watch said. In addition, the government also approved access for Human Rights Watch to Tunisian prisons, where prisoners have been held in isolation for years on end.' (Human Rights Watch)

Lebanon: 'The new Lebanese government has replaced several pro-Syrian security chiefs and the public prosecutor. The move was a key opposition demand following the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.' (BBC)

China: 'The US government has accepted a request from the US textile industry to investigate the sharp increase in imports of textiles from China. The European Union, too, has confirmed the launch of its long-expected inquiry into nine types of China-made clothing. But the EU's trade commissioner on Friday made a plea for Westerners to avoid protectionist thinking.' (BBC)

Nepal: ' Mount Everest has maintained its magnetism for mountaineers, with foreign climbers continuing to take on the world's highest mountain despite violent political unrest in Nepal since February.' (Independent)

China: ' Taiwan's main opposition leader has called for the "building of a bridge" between the self-governed island and Beijing during a controversial visit to mainland China.' (CNN)

Lebanon: 'The Lebanese speaker of parliament has confirmed that elections will be held before the end of May. Nabih Berri said the vote would begin on 29 May, allaying fears that deadlock in forming a cabinet would delay polls until after parliament's mandate ended. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had warned that any delay in the vote would threaten the stability of the country.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'The former United Nations human rights envoy to Afghanistan, Cherif Bassiouni, has said he lost his job because of pressure from the United States. The UN Human Rights Commission ended Professor Bassiouni's mandate at a meeting in Geneva last week. American officials said Afghanistan's human rights situation had improved. But Prof Bassiouni said it was because US defence officials did not want investigations into the way people were detained without trial by US forces.' (BBC)

India: 'Indian troops in the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir fought a 24-hour gun battle with Islamic militants that ended Wednesday with 10 militants, a soldier and one civilian reported dead, military sources said.' (CNN)

China: 'The leader of Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party Lien Chan has visited the tomb of Sun Yat-sen, regarded as the father of modern China, in Nanjing. Mr Lien visited the former leader's grave as part of a historic eight-day, four-city visit to China. Mr Lien is due to hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday. It will be the first meeting between Nationalist and Communist Party leaders since the Nationalists fled to Taiwan after losing China's civil war in 1949.' (BBC)

Afghanistan: 'How the new voice of Afghan youth has made conservatives hopping mad.' (Independent)

Nepal: 'Former Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has been arrested at his home in Kathmandu, a spokesman for his party, the Nepali Congress-Democratic, has told CNN.' (CNN)

Vietnam: 'Vietnam has promised to release Mennonite church worker Le Thi Hong Lien, 20, two months short of completing her one-year prison term. Today Agence France-Presse quoted a European diplomat in Hanoi announcing that Ms. Lien would be among a group of 7,751 prisoners to be granted a special amnesty on April 30. An American diplomat confirmed the news to a representative of the Vietnam Mennonite Church. Two months ago, Lien, who taught children’s Bible classes prior to her arrest, was transferred to the Bien Hoa Mental Hospital to receive treatment for the effects of prison torture. According to visitors who saw her there, her body shows signs of severe abuse and she has difficulty using her jaw, which was broken by beatings.' (Compass Direct)

Lebanon: 'Syrian soldiers are holding a final ceremony to mark the completion of their withdrawal from neighbouring Lebanon after 29 years. Two hundred Syrian soldiers assembled in the Bekaa Valley for the farewell which Syria's much-feared intelligence chief in Lebanon is expected to lead.' (BBC)

Saudi Arabia: 'Bush urges Saudis to increase oil production: No promises from Riyadh on short-term output.' (CNN)

India: 'Christian leaders held an emergency meeting in Manipur, India, on April 22 to plan their response to an attack on a church in Thoubal district. The Rev. S. Prim Vaiphei said a mob of 200 Hindus overpowered a police patrol and set fire to the Believer’s Church on April 19. Damage to the building, still under construction after previous attacks, was estimated at around 445,000 rupees ($10,350). Following a similar attack in November 2004, authorities ordered police protection for the church during the construction phase. Villagers have now asked church members to abandon the premises or “face the consequences.”' (Compass Direct)

Saudi Arabia: 'U.S. President George W. Bush should call on Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah to immediately release three dissidents imprisoned for more than a year for petitioning for a constitutional monarchy, Human Rights Watch said today on the eve of the de facto Saudi ruler's visit.' (Human Rights Watch)

Laos: 'The government of Laos has launched a new crackdown on Bru tribal Christians in southern Savannakhet. Sources have confirmed that 24 Bru Christians were arrested in the last week of March. The believers were beaten, tied to a post under the hot sun, tortured with red ants and asked to sign documents renouncing their faith. Eventually 22 of the believers -- under great duress -- signed the documents and were released. The other two remain in prison. Meanwhile, other Christians living in Muangphin district have been threatened with serious harm if they meet together for prayer or worship.' (Compass Direct)

Saudi Arabia: 'Saudi Arabia’s religious police arrested 40 Pakistani Christians while the group met privately for worship last Friday morning in Riyadh. The gathering was a joint Catholic-Protestant prayer service held weekly. Several carloads of muttawa (Islamic religious police) reportedly surrounded the house, halted the sermon and proceeded to beat some of the worshippers, upsetting the furniture and breaking Christian symbols as they searched the house. All the men, women and children present were detained at the Dera police station and later released. “We are very upset over this news,” a Pakistan church leader said. “Why do Saudi Muslims have the right all over the world to build mosques and worship in them, when they refuse to designate places of worship for Christians who are guest workers in Saudi Arabia?”' (Compass Direct)

World: 'A "hidden army" of girls is being forced to work for armed groups involved in conflicts worldwide, a charity says. A Save The Children report found more than 120,000 girls and young women have been abducted and pushed into conflict.' (BBC)

Lebanon: 'Syria is close to completing its withdrawal from neighbouring Lebanon, Syrian and Lebanese officials say.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'India has decided "in principle" to resume military supplies to Nepal. King Gyanendra has promised in return that democracy will soon be restored to Nepal, which he took under his absolute control at the beginning of February.' (BBC)

China: 'Flooding has trapped 69 miners underground in China's northeastern Jilin province, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday, in the latest accident to hit the world's deadliest mining industry.' (CNN)

Saudi Arabia: 'Candidates on a "golden list" backed by conservative clerics swept the final stage of Saudi Arabia's landmark municipal elections, according to results announced Saturday.' (CNN)

China: 'Chinese President Hu Jintao has warned that his country's dispute with Japan over Tokyo's World War II aggression could affect the stability and development of Asia, and urged the Japanese to back up their apologies with action.' (CNN)

UK/World: 'The year 2005 must be the year of the "new beginning for Africa", Prime Minister Tony Blair has told a Labour rally marking World Poverty Day. It was time Britain and other leading wealthy nations ended the "scandal" of Africa's poverty, he said. Tory leader Michael Howard said ending world poverty was a "noble" ambition. Charles Kennedy said the poorest nations' debts must be wiped out.' (BBC)

China: 'When Lisebo Tsebo's Chinese employers abruptly shut their textiles factory and vanished without paying their workers, she tried to commit suicide by drinking a mixture of insecticide and rat poison. She was among nearly 10,000 workers who have lost their jobs in six factory closures in Lesotho over four months, all triggered by the re-entry of Beijing into the world textiles market. Yesterday, China was warned of possible retaliatory measures by the European Union.' (Independent)

UK/India: 'GCSE exam papers will be sent to India for marking.' (Daily Telegraph)

Afghanistan: 'A woman has been stoned to death in Afghanistan, reportedly for committing adultery.' (BBC)

Iran: 'An Iranian convert to Christianity has been on trial for his life for the past 10 days before an Islamic sharia court in Tehran for deserting Islam and proselytizing Muslims. Hamid Pourmand, an Assemblies of God lay pastor who became a Christian 25 years ago, faces execution by hanging under Iranian law. Government officials have reportedly stated that citizens of Iran who changed their religion before the 1979 Islamic revolution would not be subject to prosecution. Nonetheless, “His wife and family are very worried,” a source close to the family told Compass today, “because nobody knows what the court decision will be. He is still refusing to deny Christ.” Pourmand and his wife Arlet, who is from Assyrian Christian background, have two teenage sons, Immanuel and David.' (Compass Direct)

Turkmenistan: 'Amid continuing international pressure, five Protestant Churches are being granted registration, though no Armenian Apostolic, Lutheran, Jewish, Yezidi or Jehovah's Witness activity is yet allowed (all unregistered religious activity remains illegal). Pastor Viktor Makrousov of the Full Gospel Church told Forum 18 News Service he still has to go to 20 offices to complete the registration process. He will work to regain his confiscated church. He hopes harassment – such as threats to Pentecostals in early April – will come to an end. Meanwhile all four imprisoned Jehovah's Witness conscientious objectors were freed by presidential decree in mid-April, but not former chief mufti, Nasrullah ibn Ibadullah, serving a 22-year sentence.' (Forum 18)

Nepal: 'India has told King Gyanendra of Nepal to lift a state of emergency and free detainees held after his February coup. Foreign Minister Natwar Singh met the king on Friday on the sidelines of an Asian-African summit in Indonesia. It was India's first high-level contact with the king since he seized power. Earlier on Friday a former deputy PM and 60 others were freed in Nepal.' (BBC)

China: 'Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged Japan to "seriously reflect" on its wartime history and back up government apologies with action. Mr Hu made the comments after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, after weeks of tension between the two countries.' (BBC)

Kyrgyzstan: 'Kyrgyzstan's government has published a list of 42 businesses which are to be investigated for links to the family of ousted president Askar Akayev. The commission was established this week to look into the business interests of the former president and members of his family.' (BBC)

India and Pakistan: 'The second bus services to cross the divided region of Kashmir have arrived safely at their destinations despite continuing threats from militants.' (BBC)

India: 'The casualty toll in the collision between a freight train and a passenger train in the western Indian state of Gujarat has risen to 15 dead and 20 seriously injured, a railway official said.' (CNN)

China: 'A fence-mending meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Chinese President Hu Jintao is likely to take place at a summit getting underway in Jakarta, according to a top Japanese minister.' (CNN)

China: 'As relations between China and Japan remain at their lowest ebb in 30 years, hopes of alleviating tensions have surfaced. For the first time, Beijing has spoken out against the anti-Japanese demonstrations, urging the public to refrain from participating in non-state approved rallies, and to maintain the peace.' (CNN)

Bahrain: 'For the first time in the Arab world, a woman has chaired a parliamentary session in the Gulf state of Bahrain. Alees Samaan, who is Christian, also became the first non-Muslim to act as speaker in predominantly Muslim Bahrain, if only for a few hours.' (BBC)

South Asia: 'South Asian political and religious leaders have welcomed the Vatican's choice of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as successor to Pope John Paul II. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said he hoped the new Pope would bridge the divide between the West and Islam.' (BBC)

India: 'A senior Aids expert has warned that HIV in India is "out of control". The executive director of the Global Fund to Fight Aids said that the epidemic in India is spreading rapidly and nothing is being done to stop it.' (BBC)

Lebanon: 'Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati said Tuesday he had formed a new government.' (CNN)

Uzbekistan: 'In its survey analysis of the religious freedom situation in Uzbekistan, Forum 18 News Service reports on the government's wide-ranging defiance of its international religious freedom commitments. Unregistered religious activity is illegal and believers are routinely punished even for religious meetings in private homes. Missionary work is banned, while religious teaching is tightly controlled. Religious literature is censored by the government's religious affairs committee. Virtually all religious communities are subject to harsh government control, especially Islam. The government even controls the numbers of Muslims who can travel on the haj pilgrimage.' (Forum 18)

Afghanistan: 'Afghanistan’s perilous human rights situation demands ongoing monitoring by the United Nations, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch urged the U.N. Commission for Human Rights, now conducting its annual meeting in Geneva, to keep Afghanistan on its agenda and to increase the number of human rights monitors in the country.' (Human Rights Watch)

China: 'U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged the leaders of China and Japan to get together later this week to resolve a spat that has plunged relations to their lowest ebb in 30 years.' (CNN)

Afghanistan: 'Afghanistan's Taliban guerrillas have launched a clandestine radio station, broadcasting anti-government commentaries and Islamic hymns from a mobile transmitter.' (CNN)

World: 'At the World Bank/IMF spring meetings, held at the weekend, officials agreed that the size and growth of global imbalances—particularly America’s twin deficits—are reason to worry. But so far, no agreement has emerged on a course of action.' (Economist)

Pakistan: 'The Pakistani government must immediately release thousands of supporters of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) arbitrarily arrested in a countrywide crackdown last week, Human Rights Watch said today. PPP supporters were arrested in order to prevent them from greeting Asif Zardari, PPP leader and husband of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, on his return from a trip to Dubai to meet his family. Zardari was released on bail last November after spending eight years in prison without a conviction.' (Human Rights Watch)

India and Pakistan: 'The leaders of India and Pakistan have issued a joint statement declaring the peace process between their two nations "irreversible" after a weekend of successful talks.' (CNN)

World: 'The United Nations children's organisation says 115 million children worldwide are missing out on an education - and most of them are girls. The UN wants to achieve gender equality in primary education in 2005, as part of the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by 2015.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'A senior United Nations official visiting Nepal has called for pre-emptive action to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the country.' (BBC)

Cyprus: 'A pro-European Union candidate was elected president of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state on Sunday, voted into office by Turkish Cypriots frustrated by decades of international isolation and a stagnant economy.' (CNN)

Lebanon: 'Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate, Najib Mikati, has held talks with political leaders as he begins efforts to form a government.' (BBC)

Mongolia: 'Genghis the good guy: Of all the images the name Genghis Khan brings to mind, that of a visionary who brought literacy, law and culture to his people rarely springs to mind.' (Daily Telegraph)

China: 'China and Japan appeared to be locked in a potentially disastrous stand-off when thousands of protesters defied government warnings and took to the streets of China for another day of violent anti-Japanese rallies.' (Independent)

India: 'Hindu and Muslim villagers burned down a prayer hall and attacked three church members in a village in Kerala, India, on April 1. The attack came after 26 people were baptized in a discreet early morning ceremony. Two days later when Paul Ciniraj Mohammed, pastor of the church in Panamvilla village, spoke to some of the villagers about the assault, he and his assistant Shivanandan were also beaten severely. Dr. John Dayal, a respected Christian leader, confirmed a trend of growing violence against Christians in Kerala, saying, “If the people do not summarily reject this culture of hatred and violence ... it will do irreparable damage.”' (Compass Direct)

China: 'European Union foreign ministers yesterday shelved plans to lift an arms embargo on China. This was seen as a victory for Washington, which had expressed outrage at the possible flow of European weapons to Beijing.' (Daily Telegraph)

Pakistan: 'Pakistan detains opposition leader: Violence, arrests precede Zardari's return.' (CNN)

Lebanon: 'New Lebanese premier vows transparency: Najib Mikati, a pro-Syrian, chosen with opposition support.' (CNN)

China: 'The Chinese government has become increasingly sophisticated at controlling the Internet, taking a multilayered approach that contributes to precision in blocking political dissent, a report released Thursday finds.' (Washington Post)

India: 'US President George W Bush has said that is "extremely excited" about the state of Indo-US relations and pledged to take them to a "much higher level".' (BBC)

Pakistan: 'Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf says he considers the peace process in Kashmir as irreversible. But he reiterated that Pakistan could never accept a solution under which the Line of Control would become an international border.' (BBC)

China: 'U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for Beijing and Tokyo to calm their flare-up, even as plans are afoot for more anti-Japanese protests in China this weekend.' (CNN)

Afghanistan: 'Karzai wants long-term security ties with US. Rumsfeld in Afghanistan, says U.S. wants to assist nation's own forces.' (CNN)

Nepal: 'Nepal will hold municipal elections by April 2006 to activate the "democratic process", King Gyanendra has said, 10 weeks after he seized power. He made no mention of parliamentary elections or polls in rural areas, where most of the population live. The king's move has been criticised by opposition parties who accused him of "playing political games".' (BBC)

Lebanon: 'Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister has said he is stepping down after failing to form a new government. "Today, and after many attempts once again we reached a dead end," Omar Karami said at a news conference. The resignation after weeks of deadlock deepens a political crisis triggered by the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on 14 February.' (BBC)

India: 'India has opened the first stage of a spectacular railway that will connect Indian-administered Kashmir with the rest of the country. When finished, the line will cross the vast barriers of the Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountains, include a tunnel six miles long through the mountains, and a mile-long bridge 1,300ft high over Chenab river. The first section, which does not even cross the higher mountains, already includes 158 bridges and 20 tunnels.' (Independent)

Pakistan: 'U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld held talks with staunch ally Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, as a security threat kept the American consulate in Karachi closed for another day.' (CNN)

Russia: 'In its submission to a 14 April hearing in Washington of the US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe http://www.csce.gov/ on unregistered religious groups in Russia, Forum 18 News Service looks at how Russia's controversial 1997 religion law divides religious communities into two categories, restricting the rights of those with the unregistered status of "group". By requiring independent religious groups seeking registration to have existed for 15 years, the law effectively forced new individual religious communities to join older unions, often a burdensome and expensive formality and not an option for some communities. Registration can be denied on arbitrary grounds, as for example with 39 of Stavropol region's 47 mosques. Denied registration, Belgorod's Catholic parish cannot reclaim its historical church. Communities that choose not to register can function freely, but only if they remain inconspicuous, Forum 18 has found. Council of Churches Baptists – who reject registration on principle - are often denied the possibility to rent property for services and fined for holding evangelistic campaigns.' (Forum 18)

India: 'A priest in the east-Indian state of Bihar was brutally stabbed on Monday, April 11, when he refused to pay extortion money to an ex-prisoner. “Gyan Das demanded 100,000 rupees ($2,325) from Fr. Mathew. ... There was a scuffle in which the father was stabbed four times in the neck and the chest,” said Allen R. Johannes, press secretary for the Archdiocese of Patna. Fr. Mathew had counseled Gyan Das, convicted of armed robbery, following his release from prison. “But Das was not happy with just the advice, and for the past few weeks, he had started asking for money,” a fellow priest said. “On Monday evening, things got out of control when Das pounced on Fr. Mathew for not paying up.”' (Compass Direct)

India: 'An Indian court has charged Christian businessman Vidya Sagaran of Kerala state with attempted forced conversion under the Indian Penal Code. States without anti-conversion laws can use Section 153A of the Penal Code to address accusations of fraudulent conversion. Defense attorney Ranjit George said Sagaran was arrested on March 30 and released on bail the following day, and that the charges were the result of a dispute between Sagaran and his neighbor, Pillai. Meanwhile, Hindu activists in Kerala have objected to the work of Christian relief groups in tsunami-torn coastal areas. Two Catholic priests were recently accused of inducing tsunami victims to convert to Christianity.' (Compass Direct)

Vietnam: 'Presiding Judge Nguyen Xuan Phat upheld the three-year sentence of the Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang and the two-year sentence of Evangelist Pham Ngoc Thach at an appeal court hearing on April 12. On the morning of the trial, various police units dressed in riot gear were stationed at the courthouse compound. Around 200 Christians came to the courthouse to show solidarity with the Mennonite prisoners by holding a silent prayer vigil. On April 11, Mrs. Quang was summoned to the District 2 police station and scolded for writing and circulating an urgent appeal to Christians everywhere to fast and pray for justice to be done for her husband and the other Mennonite prisoners.' (Compass Direct)

Afghanistan: 'US mercenaries spill blood over Afghan opium.' (Independent)

World: 'The World Bank and IMF have called for urgent action to enable the poorest countries to achieve targets known as the Millennium Development Goals.' (BBC)

Saudi Arabia: 'Saudi clerics took an unprecedented stand Tuesday against forcing women into marriage, saying that fathers who try to force their daughters to marry should be jailed until they change their minds.' (CNN)

Nepal: 'Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists today welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the government of Nepal and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights providing for deployment of an international human rights presence to Nepal. The agreement calls for U.N. offices to be established in Kathmandu and, importantly, in regional centres, to help establish accountability for rights abuses and prevent further violations by both government forces and Maoist rebels, who have been locked in a civil war since 1996.' (Human Rights Watch)

Kyrgyzstan: 'Kyrgyzstan's new government should break with the past by prioritizing respect for human rights, Human Rights Watch said today. In a five-page letter to Acting President Kurmanbek Bakiev, Human Rights Watch proposed an agenda for the protection of human rights in Kyrgyzstan in the aftermath of former President Askar Akaev’s resignation.' (Human Rights Watch)

Kazakhstan: 'Religious minorities and human rights activists have condemned planned new restrictions that would ban unregistered religious activity, ban unapproved missionary activity by both local citizens and foreigners and subject religious literature to official approval. The proposed changes to the religion law, part of sweeping changes to more than ten laws now being discussed by a parliamentary working group, are set to go to the lower house of parliament on 16 April. "The entire draft bears the clear imprint of mistrust of religious organisations and a desire to put them in a much worse legal position than other legal bodies," a group of Protestant churches in Almaty complained in a letter seen by Forum 18 News Service. "Essentially, today it is the KNB secret police that lays down religious policy in the country," human rights activist Ninel Fokina told Forum 18. One Orthodox priest welcomed the proposed restrictions, declaring: "Now Protestants and religious missionaries will not be so free in their activities in Kazakhstan."' (Forum 18)

Jordan: 'An Amman court of Islamic law ruled in favor of Christian widow Siham Qandah today, revoking the legal guardianship of her children’s Muslim uncle, Abdullah al-Muhtadi, and ordering him to repay misspent funds. Al-Muhtadi proved unable to provide the court with documented evidence of his claimed expenditure to buy the children a refrigerator. Accordingly, Judge Zghl removed him from his court-designated guardianship and ordered him to pay back this amount to his wards’ trust fund. The seven-year custody battle may continue, as the former guardian has the right to appeal the judgment within 30 days. “I still can’t believe it!” Qandah told Compass today, laughing and crying. “I am so happy, I am just speechless. I can’t even describe my emotions.”' (Compass Direct)

India: 'Hundreds of wailing pilgrims have lined the banks of a holy river in central India and prayed for loved ones after more than 150 people either drowned or were missing when the gates of a nearby dam were opened. Some hastily cremated their dead among the scores swept away when the upstream dam released water for power generation on Saturday when an estimated 300,000 Hindus had gathered on the banks of the now calm Narmada river to pray.' (CNN)

Pakistan: 'Unknown killers kidnapped and brutally killed Protestant pastor Babar Samsoun and his driver and fellow evangelist, Daniel Emmanuel, on April 7. One of Samsoun’s colleagues reported that the slain pastor was “accused of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.” The two men had been receiving telephoned threats demanding that they stop their Christian activities. Police authorities blamed the killings on an alleged family dispute. “Protest marches are still continuing for the arrest of the culprits,” a local church leader confirmed today, noting that the Christian community was “fearful and demoralized, as they feel nothing is being done by the authorities to safeguard them from such barbarous attacks.” Samsoun, 37, pastored the congregation of the Jesus Pan Gospel Church in Yousafabad. He leaves behind a wife and three children. Emmanuel, also in his mid 30s, was unmarried.' (Compass Direct)

India and China: 'India and China have signed an agreement in Delhi aimed at resolving a long-running dispute over their Himalayan border.' (BBC)

Kyrgyzstan: 'Kyrgyzstan's parliament has voted to hold presidential elections on 10 July, after accepting the resignation of ousted President Askar Akayev.' (BBC)

China: 'Textbook war escalates as China and Korea vent their fury at Japanese rewriting of history.' (Independent)

Bangladesh: 'A nine-storey building close to the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, has collapsed, killing at least four people, and injuring several others.
Police say many of the victims were employees working in a garment factory housed in the building in Palashbari.' (BBC)

UK: 'Evangelicals get £1.5m of state money for youth work.' (Independent)

Bangladesh: 'A woman died and 49 people were missing after a passenger ferry collided with a docked ferry and capsized in a river in southern Bangladesh, local police said.' (CNN)

Nepal: 'Authorities in Nepal now say 100 died in clashes between Maoist rebels and government forces in the remote western district of Rukum on Thursday. The clashes were by far the biggest since King Gyanendra assumed direct power on 1 February, vowing to crack down on the rebels. The army said it had recovered 97 rebel bodies and that three soldiers died. The rebels have not commented on their dead but say the army's losses were much higher.' (BBC)

India and Pakistan: 'Newspapers in India and Pakistan have hailed the first bus service across divided Kashmir in 60 years, but issued caution on prospects of a wider peace. ' (BBC)

Egypt: 'At least two people, including a French tourist, have been killed in a bomb attack in the historic heart of Cairo. French, American and Italian tourists were among 19 people wounded when the bomb was thrown into a crowded market.' (BBC)

Pakistan: ' Kashmiris wept and hugged each other as a new bus service across their beautiful but divided land reunited families split by politics and war for nearly 60 years.' (CNN)

Nepal: ' Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists today called on the international community to stand firm in its response to the human rights crisis in Nepal at the Commission on Human Rights and continue to monitor ongoing violations.' (Human Rights Watch)

India: ' The Hindu Jagran Manch activist group has claimed that 700 Christians were “reconverted” on April 2. However, some local newspapers said only 97 took part in the Hindu homecoming ceremony, while Christian leaders say those who took part were not Christians at all, but members of the Hindu community who may have attended Christian meetings once or twice to ask for prayer. During the reconversion ceremony, former cabinet minister Dilip Singh Judeo threatened Christian workers, saying, “If Christian missionaries don’t stop converting people, we will take up arms.”' (Compass Direct)

Uzbekistan: 'Baptist Farkhod Khamedov was sentenced to jail for 10 days and his Bible ordered to be destroyed, for conducting a religious meeting in a private flat, by Judge Turman Tashmetov in Uzbekistan's capital, Tashkent, Forum 18 News Service has found. Judge Tashmetov told Forum 18 that the Bible was being held "as material evidence" and had not yet been destroyed. "Khamedov has filed an appeal and his case will now be considered by another judge," he told Forum 18. "That judge will decide what to do with the Bible." Khamedov has appealed against the sentence. Begzot Kadyrov, chief specialist of the government's Committee for Religious Affairs, claimed to Forum 18 that Judge Tahsmetov had made a "mistake" and that "I'm sure that it will be returned to Khamedov once his case is reheard." Uzbek courts have in recent years burnt religious literature confiscated from the homes of Muslims, Protestant Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses.' (Forum 18)

Kyrgyzstan: 'Kyrgyzstan's parliament has heard a taped resignation speech by ousted President Askar Akayev. Mr Akayev said he had intended to step down after October elections anyway, and that his last order as Kyrgyzstan's leader for 15 years was "not to shoot". But MPs have yet to accept his resignation, amid a row over the rights and privileges he would retain. They decided to delay elections originally scheduled for June until this issue is resolved. The taped address was the start of a special parliamentary session to debate how to bring a formal end to the rule of Mr Akayev, who fled to Moscow following protests in March.' (BBC)

China: 'China plans to build 40 nuclear power plants over the next 15 years, making them the main power source for its booming east coast, a government technology official says.' (CNN)

India/Pakistan: 'The first bus service across disputed Kashmir in nearly 60 years came under fire minutes after it started its journey, according to local media.' (CNN)

India: 'A bomb blast on the route of a landmark bus service in Kashmir has wounded at least seven people, police say. The explosion, at Hanjivira on India's side of the Line of Control, came two days before the first buses are due to link the divided territory.' (BBC)

India: 'Indians infected with the Aids virus are more likely to contract the disease than people in the west, a new study has found. Scientists say that Indians have lower immunity to the virus because they have genes that hasten the disease. India says more than five million of its citizens are infected with the HIV virus, second only to South Africa.' (BBC)

Kyrgyzstan: 'Kyrgyzstan's 'potato moment': It remains to be seen whether the ousting of Askar Akayev cleared the ground in order for true democracy to grow, writes Nick Paton Walsh.' (Guardian)

Iraq: 'Iraq two years on: Endgame or unending war? Two years after the fall of Baghdad, it is an open question as to whether an endgame to the insurgency is under way or whether Iraq faces a war that will drag on for years.' (BBC)

Egypt: 'Thousands of Egyptian university students have demonstrated angrily against the government, in the largest such protest yet to be staged.' (BBC)

Iraq: 'Iraq's parliament has chosen Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as the country's new president after the first elections since the fall of Saddam Hussein.' (CNN)

Saudi Arabia: 'Saudi forces have overpowered gunmen after a fierce three-day battle in which a top militant suspected of masterminding al Qaeda bombings in Casablanca was killed, security sources said.' (CNN)

Turkey: 'Bullet-riddled body of child casts shadow over Turkey's EU aspirations.' (Independent)

Iran: 'Iranian Christian Hamid Pourmand must appear before the Islamic (sharia) court of Iran between April 11 and 14 to face charges of apostasy from Islam and proselytizing Muslims to the Christian belief. Both “crimes” are punishable by death. Arrested last September when security police raided a church conference he was attending, the Assemblies of God lay pastor is the only one of more than 80 church leaders arrested at the conference who was not released. Pourmand converted from Islam to Christianity nearly 25 years ago.' (Compass Direct)

Nepal/UK: Prayer for Nepal are having a day of prayer for Nepal on Saturday 16 April at London School of Theology. They have a website with all-year-round information.

India & Pakistan: 'A number of passengers on this week's landmark bus service between Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir have been given police protection.' (BBC)

India: 'Two of the famous lunch-box, or tiffin, carriers from the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay) have been invited to Prince Charles' wedding on Saturday.' (BBC)

North Korea: 'Where being a Christian leads to prison and torture: When Kim Tae Jin was being interrogated after his forcible repatriation to North Korea from China, he swallowed a nail in the vain hope of receiving medical treatment, rather than return to his prison cell. For the North Koreans, he had committed the ultimate crime: not only had he defected to China, but he was a Christian. The North Koreans found a bible in his bag, for which he suffered eight months of interrogation and four years in the Yodok political prison camp without trial. In North Korea, there is only one religion - the official worship of the founder of the communist-ruled state, the late Kim Il Sung and his doctrine of self-reliance.' (Independent)

World: 'Close to 4,000 people were executed worldwide in 2004, more than at nearly any other time in the last 25 years, according to human rights organization Amnesty International. The number of new death sentences imposed by countries also hit its highest level in 10 years, it said. "This is an alarming rise in executions and the figures uncovered from China are genuinely frightening," Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen told Reuters news agency. Amnesty, which based its analysis on public reports, said that China executed at least 3400 people last year, but cautioned the total figures are "only minimum figures; the true figures are certainly higher."' (CNN)

World: 'Baby Milk Action is a non-profit organisation which aims to save lives and to end the avoidable suffering caused by inappropriate infant feeding. Baby Milk Action works within a global network to strengthen independent, transparent and effective controls on the marketing of the baby feeding industry. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 1.5 million infants die around the world every year because they are not breastfed. Where water is unsafe a bottle-fed child is up to 25 times more likely to die as a result of diarrhoea than a breastfed child. That is why a marketing code was introduced in 1981 to regulate the marketing of breastmilk substitutes. Companies continue to violate its provisions.' (Baby Milk Action)

Vietnam: 'Lawyers defending the Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang informed his wife last week that his appeal before the People’s Supreme Court of Vietnam has been rescheduled for April 12. The new date allows the defense just 12 days to prepare its appeal on behalf of Quang and fellow Mennonite pastor Pham Ngoc Thach, imprisoned since last year on questionable charges of resisting police officers. Three of the original “Mennonite Six” prisoners, now free, said they suffered torture and deprivation during their imprisonment to persuade them to testify against Quang. Meanwhile, Le Thi Hong Lien, the 21-year-old children’s Bible teacher convicted along with Quang and Thach, was transferred to the Bien Hoa Mental Hospital at the end of February. Lien’s father said he thinks prison officials “violate the rights of women and their privacy, especially my daughter’s.”' (Compass Direct)

Bangladesh: 'Sources have confirmed the murder by beheading on March 8 of Dulal Sarkar, a lay pastor and evangelist in Bangladesh. Sarkar worked with the Bangladesh Free Baptist Church in Jalalpur village as an evangelist and church planter. On the night of March 8 as he returned home, he was attacked and killed by Muslim extremists. His wife, Aruna, immediately filed a case against the killers, and three suspects were arrested. However, militants are now threatening Aruna and her children. The beheading is the second in the space of a year. Dr. Abdul Gani, a respected Christian leader, was decapitated by a gang of assailants in September 2004.' (Compass Direct)

World: 'John Paul II, spiritual leader to the world's one billion or so Catholics, has died. He will be remembered as a pope who resisted pressures to “modernise” the church's values—and a man who changed history by precipitating the fall of Soviet communism.' (Economist)

Kyrgyzstan: 'Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev, who was ousted last month by protesters who took over the White House government building, has resigned effective Tuesday, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.' (CNN)

Lebanon: 'Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has committed to a complete withdrawal of Syrian troops and intelligence services from Lebanon by April 30, according to U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen.' (CNN)

Afghanistan: 'Six people have been killed in southern Afghanistan, in two attacks officials have blamed on Taleban fighters.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'A prominent former prime minister of Nepal has demanded the return of democracy a day after being freed from house arrest by the authorities.' (BBC)

North Africa: 'On 22nd and 23rd March we asked for prayer for an expatriate pastor being deported from a North African Country. We regret to report that the pastor has been told that he will not be allowed to return and therefore his family have also left. Let us continue praying for this man, his wife and family, asking that they will know the Lord's peace and comfort in their sudden, enforced move and loss of home, ministry, friends, etc. May they process this shock well, and may God's next assignment for them in ministry become clear in His time. Let us pray too for his English speaking church who are in need of a new pastor, asking that God would provide pastors for His people throughout North Africa.' (Middle East Concern)

China: 'Religious believers in Ghulja (Yining in Chinese), a Xinjiang provincial town with Muslim, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox communities, do not on first glance currently appear to experience difficulties from the Chinese state. Authorised Christian and Muslim places of worship are frequently built at state expense, Forum 18 News Service has found. But the state tries to keep all religious organisations under complete control, and also, so Forum 18 has been told, limits the size of Catholic and Muslim places of worship, as well as restricting the number of mosques. "I have land and the money to build a mosque, but the authorities think it inexpedient to open a religious building in the new housing districts," Abdu Raheman, Muslim owner of Ghulja's largest honey-producing company, complained to Forum 18. Unregistered Chinese and Uighur Protestant communities do exist, but they mainly have to operate in secret. Although Jehovah's Witnesses have been in Ghulja, as far as Forum 18 has been able to establish they have not set up a religious community.' (Forum 18)

Uzbekistan: 'At least twelve Jehovah's Witness congregations were targeted in coordinated police raids on the evening of Thursday 24 March to coincide with the most important Jehovah's Witness religious observance of the year, the memorial of Christ's death. Two Jehovah's Witnesses from Karshi are now serving ten day sentences in retaliation for their participation, while others were reportedly beaten by police. Begzot Kadyrov of the government's religious affairs committee admitted that "very many" Jehovah's Witnesses had been detained on one day but categorically denied that the raids heralded a new campaign against the group. "Police raids on the commemoration service of Christ's death happen here every year," he told Forum 18 News Service.' (Forum 18)

India: 'One of Israel's chief rabbis has recognised an Indian tribe as lost descendants of ancient Israelites.' (BBC)

Nepal: 'One of Nepal's most influential politicians, GP Koirala, has been freed after two months of house arrest. The Home Ministry says more than 250 people detained after King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency on 1 February were freed on Friday.' (BBC)

Lebanon: 'A bomb severely damaged a shopping and residential center in a mountain resort in the Christian heartland northeast of Beirut, lightly injuring seven people, police and witnesses said.' (CNN)