CIS (ex-USSR)

By BosNewsLife News Center TASHKENT/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Mourning Christians in several parts of Uzbekistan are wondering where they can bury their loved ones after authorities refused to allow funerals in state-owned cemeteries amid pressure from Muslim leaders, rights investigators say.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent KYIV/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- The national bishop of Ukraine's largest Pentecostal-Charismatic denomination, has been freed after being abducted by suspected pro-Russian separatists, his brother and a mission group leader confirmed Saturday, May 17.

By BosNewsLife News Center TASHKENT/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Two Christian families in Uzbekistan faced uncertain future Wednesday, May 14, after receiving massive fines for meeting in a private home to read the Bible and pray together, church members and rights investigators said. Alisher Abdullayev and Veniamin Nemirov were fined along with another member of their home church in October 2012 for unregistered religious activity and teaching religion "illegally".

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife KYIV, UKRAINE (BosNewsLife)-- Initial election results of Sunday's blood-stained referendum in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region claim nearly nine out of 10 voters want to breakaway from the country.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife KYIV, UKRAINE (BosNewsLife)-- Ukraine's interim President Olexander Turchynov has warned two regions in eastern Ukraine that Sunday's referendums on declaring independence could lead to their destruction. His comments came while Christians were distributing Bible books to help ease tensions, following deadly clashes between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife KYIV, UKRAINE (BosNewsLife)--Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, May 9, arrived in the Crimean Peninsula he annexed from Ukraine, after a Christian mission group said it would distribute hundreds of thousands of 'Gospel of Luke' Bible books in the region to help ease tensions amid fears of a new world war.

(AS UKRAINE PREPARES FOR A TURBULENT SPRING, BOSNEWSLIFE RE-PRINTS A KEY STORY BOSNEWSLIFE COVERED IN 2006). CHERNOBYL, UKRAINE

CHERNOBYL, UKRAINE (BosNewsLife)-- Fresh flowers in front of a small statue resembling the Virgin Mary revealed that at least some Ukrainians returned Wednesday, April 26, to the 30 kilometers (19 miles) "exclusion zone" around the country's leaking Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which exploded 20 years ago.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife KYIV, UKRAINE (BosNewsLife)-- The first contingent of American troops has landed in Poland for military exercises amid regional security concerns over nearby Ukraine, where officials said at least five people have died in clashes.

Listen to this BosNewsLife News story via Vatican Radio: By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife KYIV, UKRAINE (BosNewsLife)-- U.S Vice President Joe Biden has warned Russia to end what he called the illegal occupation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula as the West is preparing more sanctions against Russian officials. During his visit to Ukraine, he also unveiled a multi-million dollar aid package to support the country's embattled government, while urging Kyiv to crackdown on rampant corruption.

Listen to this BosNewsLife News report via Vatican Radio...   By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife KYIV/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov accused Russia on Sunday, April 13, of waging war against Ukraine and said he had decided to launch what he called a "full-scale anti-terrorist operation" in eastern Ukraine.