Blog updates will stop for a week while we move office. Please pray for the England and Wales office as they pack everything up and move to Milton Keynes - it's going to be a very busy time!

Turkmenistan: 'Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov became gas-rich Turkmenistan's new president on Wednesday, pledging to follow a path set by late authoritarian leader Saparmurat Niyazov and respect existing energy contracts.' (Reuters).

Iran: 'Eleven people have been killed in a bomb blast near a bus in city of Zahedan in south-eastern Iran, the official Irna news agency has reported.' (BBC).

Lebanon: 'Tension is high in Lebanon as crowds gather for a rally to commemorate the second anniversary of the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.' (BBC).

India: 'More than 50 years after caste discrimination was outlawed in India, millions of "untouchable" low-caste Hindus remain subject to daily petty humiliations, police violence, rape and even murder, a major new report claimed yesterday.' (Independent).

Lebanon: 'Two bombs have exploded minutes apart near the Lebanese capital, killing three people and wounding 20 others.' (BBC).

India: 'The Indian government has proposed an amendment to a law on foreign funding of social service organizations that could seriously hinder the work of an estimated 20,000 development organizations – 50 percent of which are Christian.' (Compass Direct).

Afghanistan: 'In a message released Monday, al Qaeda's No. 2 leader called on Muslims to unite under Taliban leader Mullah Omar, stop trying to form secular governments and instead follow strict Islamic Sharia law.' (CNN).

North Korea: 'North Korea agreed today to take first steps toward nuclear disarmament and shut down its main reactor within 60 days before eventually dismantling its atomic weapons programme.' (Independent).

Iran: 'Britain should not rule out military action against Iran, the shadow Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said yesterday. Tougher economic sanctions should be used to raise the "peaceful pressure" against the country to force it to abandon any plans for developing nuclear weapons, he urged.' (Independent).

India: 'An 18-year-old convert from Hinduism breathed his last on January 12, four days after he was found lying wounded near a railway track in the north-central state of Madhya Pradesh. Christians say he was pushed out of the train by Hindu extremists.' (Compass Direct).

Turkey: 'Strict security controls surrounded the second court hearing for two Turkish Christians facing criminal charges for insulting Turkish identity under the nation’s controversial Article 301.' (Compass Direct).