Asia/Pacific

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife OSH/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Kyrgyz Christians were risking their lives Thursday, June 17, to help and shelter Uzbek believers in southern Kyrgystan, where ethnic clashes killed at least 190 people, injured 1,800 others and uprooted some 400,000 residents, Christian aid workers said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with a Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistani police freed a Christian girl who was kidnapped and raped by five Muslim militants with the apparent support from "religious leaders", but the suspects escaped, her family said Wednesday, June 16.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Impoverished frail parents were still awaiting justice Monday, June 14, for the death of their son who they and Christian investigators said died of "mental and physical torture" while in police custody in the city of Lahore.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife BISHKEK/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- New clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan have killed dozens of people and wounded more than 500 in the city of Osh, a little over two months after the uprising that toppled the Central Asian nation's former government. The United States and Russia - both of which have military bases in Kyrgyzstan - and China are watching the situation with concern.

By Santosh Digal, BosNewsLife Asia Correspondent reporting from India NUAPADA, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Police in India's eastern state of Orissa say they have detained five suspected Hindu militants for their alleged involvement in attacking a devoted young Christian boy and threatening to kill him and his family.

By BosNewsLife Asia News Service ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistani police have detained two Muslim boys for allegedly raping a Christian girl and advocacy groups hope it will encourage security forces to also take action against others attacking minority Christians in this heavily Islamic nation.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service KATHMANDU, NEPAL (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian advocacy group said Thursday, June 3, that Nepal's churches are experiencing "unprecedented growth" despite reported political turmoil and persecution.

By BosNewsLife News Center KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Christian aid workers in Afghanistan faced legal challenges Wednesday, June 2, after authorities ordered two Western church groups to stop their activities amid suspicions they were converting Muslims to Christianity -- an offense that carries the death penalty under Afghan law.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service reporting from Pakistan RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian woman who was forced to marry a Muslim farmer and convert to Islam amid a dispute over money said Monday, May 31, she has returned home after weeks of "captivity and torture."

By BosNewsLife Asia Service HANOI, VIETNAM (BosNewsLife)-- There was international concern Monday, May 31, that the widow of a murdered Vietnamese Christian will be forced to give up her children to the Communist-run state, rights activists said.