The murderers of a 65-year-old Christian in Pakistan are not likely to face justice in this world.

A miasma of political and religious dynamics makes it unlikely. A Pakistani court has ordered a judicial inquiry into the death Niyamat Masih, who died in police custody from torture. Officers tortured him to extract information about whereabouts of a Muslim woman who had eloped with his son.

The physical examination done only a day before Masih's death, and an autopsy report, show possible connivance between police and the medical authorities that issued these reports. Both reports fail to mention marks of violence, though photos taken after Masih's death clearly show signs of torture. more >>

Newly converted Christians of the Sedang ethnic minority in Vietnam's Central Highlands were terrorized last week – their homes and personal property badly damaged or destroyed in four consecutive night raids, and some of the faithful seriously injured from beatings in broad daylight, sources said.

Since becoming Christians in the past year, five families in mountainous Kontum Province have reported constant harassment from villagers upset that they are no longer contributing to communal sacrifices and other practices because of their new faith. The attacks from Monday (Feb. 18) to Friday (Feb. 22) constituted a third wave of sustained violence since their conversion, leaving their property severely damaged and their lives threatened.

Attacks on the new Christians – who belong to a Christian Mission Church (CMC) congregation in Ngoc La village, Mang Ri Commune, Tumorong District in northwestern Kontum Province – were primarily motivated by strong tensions within the ethnic group over the families leaving the "old ways." Ideologically opposed to Christianity, local Communist officials freely permit and even encourage such conflicts, sources said. more >>

A rape victim has been sentenced to 100 lashes and put on eight months house arrest in the Maldives, sparking international outrage.

The 15 year old rape victim was sentenced to the brutal punishment by an Islamic court for having premarital sex, after admitting to having consensual sex with a man in an incident unrelated to the rape.

She has been told that she can have the sentence carried out immediately or when she turns 18. more >>

The Australian High Court has banned a controversial church from public preaching without a permit, arguing that such a ruling does not constitute as infringement of freedom of speech.

"It's obviously disappointing to hear the judges deny freedom of political communication," said Samuel Corneloup, who along with his brother Caleb preaches at the Street Church in Adelaide, Australia.

"We've always wanted to be law-abiding citizens. What we always wanted were permits to preach in the mall, and the council repeatedly denied us," Corneloup continued, according to The Australian. "We're happy that, with this ruling, the council can't reject us (for permits) because of our content, they can only reject us for obstructing people." more >>

Clashes in Bangladesh have left four people dead and over 200 injured as Islamists demanded on Friday the execution of atheist bloggers who are being accused of blasphemy.

IBN Live reported that police were forced into using rubber bullets and tear gas canisters to disperse Islamist radicals, many of whom were reportedly assembled by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party, leaving Dhaka looking like a battle scene.

Violent clashes broke out in front of the Baitul Mukarram national mosque, where protesters injured a dozen journalists while police attempted to protect worshippers inside the mosque. more >>

Pastor Mallik Arjun knew something was wrong when he received a call from the mobile phone of his friend and fellow pastor in Gadag District, Karnataka state – but it was a stranger on the other end of the line.

The stranger told him that Pastor Nagesh Naik was being held at a hotel near Korlahalli village and to come and find him. It was a Sunday evening, Feb. 3, after Pastor Arjun's colleague had led a home worship of the Gypsy Mission church in a neighboring village.

"I went with three church members on two motorbikes, and we were looking for such hotel all through the way and could not find one," Pastor Arjun, of the Indian Pentecostal Church, told Morning Star News. "Finally we found a mob swelling up in a temple, and that was where they kept him – and as soon as we reached the temple, they accused us of forceful conversion and started to attack me, Pastor Nagesh and the other three Christians." more >>