The military ruler, facing the greatest challenge to his leadership since he seized power in a 1999 coup, opted against the move, which would have postponed elections, Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani told AFP.
"President Musharraf has decided not to impose the state of emergency in the co

Afghanistan: August 4, 2007. (AFP) - A purported hostage made an emotional plea for help in a telephone call with AFP on Saturday, as an Afghan negotiator ruled out an exchange of Taliban prisoners for 21 South Koreans.
"They threaten us, they tell us they will kill us," a woman who was said by th

Washington: August 4, 2007. On Thursday August 02, 2007, three members of the World Sindhi Institute, including Executive Director, Munawar Laghari attended a discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington with the Governor of Balochistan, Owais Ghani.
Governor Ghani

The kidnapping of the 23 South Korean citizens has been a very disgraceful and painful story in a land where Afghan hospitality is a cherished tradition. Twenty-three young persons came from South Korea to your land with a noble mission to help the suffering people of Afghanistan. The world is well

Rome: August 2, 2007. At least 11 priests from the underground church are being held in arrest in various regions throughout China. AsiaNews sources confirm that since last May their conditions have worsened due to Letter of Pope to faithful.
In Hebei, Zhejiang and central Mongolia all of the acti

South Korea is desperate to end the ordeal of the mainly female aid workers abducted in southern Ghazni province, most of whom are said to be ill, with the rebels threatening to kill again if their demands are not met.
But the embassy in Kabul did not confirm that it would go ahead with such a meet

PARIS: July 28, 2007. (AFP) A former Pakistani government minister who resigned after Islamists issued a fatwa against her for posing in an "obscene manner" with French paraglider pilots, vowed Saturday to fight religious extremism.
"My mission in life now is to face and fight extremism of any kin

No immediate progress was reported by either side, but Afghan officials appeared hopeful that the inclusion of more elders would increase the pressure on the Taliban to release the hostages.
"My message to the South Koreans, in particular to the families of these men and women being held by the Tal

Such threatening letters were dropped in Charsadda and Shanti Nagar in homes of Christians in months of May-June but letter to Bishop Nasir is first to any high profile Christian religious leader in Pakistan.
The threat to Bishop Nasir have created very serious concern among his followers around w

"The reference of the president dated March 9, 2007 is set aside," presiding judge Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday told the court, announcing a 10-3 verdict.
"As a further consequence the petitioner, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, shall be deemed to be holding the said office and shall always be deemed to

He has been accused of assaulting 5 policemen, of having damaged their car and of having led "illegal gatherings under the guise of religious activity without concrete authority and without state registration", of "attracting young people to services and playing loud music at services, disturbing th

Washington: July 15, 2007. The younger brother of Son Jong-nam, ex officer of the Pyongyang army converted to Christianity, is due to be executed in public, has appealed to the US and UN to help save him.
A group made up of US senators, democrats and republican, have written to the United Nations

Yet more tensions between the Turkish Authorities and the Ecumenical Patriarchate: today permission was revoked for the concert of the famous Greek singer song writer Dallara, also well known in Turkey, which was to have closet the II Conference of Orthodox Youth organised by the Patriarchate in Ist

Protestant leaders said this was offensive and would hurt inter-denominational dialogue.
A 16-page document by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which Pope Benedict once headed, described Christian Orthodox churches as true churches, but suffering from a "wound" since they do not reco

The decision, a victory for traditional, conservative Roman Catholics, came over the objections of liberal-minded Catholics and angered Jews because the Tridentine Mass contains a prayer for their conversion.
Benedict, who stressed that he was not negating Vatican II, issued a document authorizing