World in Brief

Human-rights advocates are mystified about why two Christians, imprisoned in Iran for their church leadership roles, have been freed a few days after a fire broke out in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.

The leaders are Pastor Naser Navard Goltapeh, who had spent two months in solitary confinement, and Fariba Dalir, who was jailed for starting a house church. She had spent 38 days in solitary confinement. Both pardons were unexpected and had previously been denied. One theory is that Evin Prison is hosting Mahsa Amini protestors and is quickly running out of space.

Suspected Islamic terrorists have killed 15 Christians in Obi county, north-central Nigeria. Many were members of the Universal Reformed Christian Church.

Local community leader Ukpuu Abaa also reported that: ‘A Christian woman called Kwaghdoo Saaku was injured when the herdsmen cut off one of her breasts. The herdsmen during the invasion of our village shot randomly at our people who were sleeping in their houses.’

Two evangelists in eastern Uganda have been beaten and slashed with knives after leading several Muslims to Christ.

Robert Okia and Wilberforce Mutenga shared the gospel in two predominantly Muslim villages, where eight Muslims put their faith in Christ. ‘We were beaten because of taking the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to that purely Muslim community,’ Mutenga said.

The Indian Government has formed a Commission to review granting Scheduled Caste (SC) status to low-caste Dalits who have converted away from Buddhism and Sikhism.

Now, 15% of central government jobs are reserved for those with SC status. However, an estimated 3.2million Dalit Christians and Muslims do not enjoy SC status and are therefore excluded from these and other benefits. Dalit Christians have been asking to be included in the SC category for several decades.

The French Senate has rejected a draft law proposing a constitutional right to abortion. Following intense debate, 139 voted in favour and 172 against.

‘The Senate majority has chosen to go against the wishes of 81% of French women and men’, pointed out the d’Europe Écologie Les Verts (European Green Party of France) Senator, Mélanie Vogel, who wrote the draft law. Two other draft laws on the same issue will shortly be put before the National Assembly.

A Chicago pastor has camped out on a makeshift rooftop for 365 days to raise $20million for a new community centre.

Corey Brooks, senior pastor of New Beginnings Church, is a leading voice in the fight against the violence gripping Chicago’s poorest neighbourhoods. During his time outside, his mother died of cancer and his daughter had a baby.

The Princess Royal has been welcomed aboard a Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) aircraft. MAF is the world’s largest humanitarian airline.

During her royal visit to Uganda last week, HRH Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence travelled from Kajjansi to Masika on board the small plane. Vice Admiral Laurence – who married into the Royal Family in 1992 – called the organisation ‘very impressive’ after hearing about their work. The Christian organisation flies medical equipment and relief to people in hard-to-reach places. Recently they responded to an earthquake in Papua New Guinea.

Christian leaders have condemned an attack on a church near Bethlehem. A group of Muslims attacked an Orthodox church in Beit Sahur, a predominantly Christian neighbourhood near Bethlehem, throwing stones and injuring several people.

Archbishop Atallah Hanna of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem described the assault as an ‘unprecedented phenomenon. The church is not a place for settling accounts, fomenting sedition and undermining the unity of our people. What happened in Beit Sahur was horrific.’

Archaeologists have found the tomb holding the remains of Saint Nicholas underneath an ancient church in Demre, southern Turkey. Nicholas, the basis for the Christmas character Santa Claus, died more than 1,600 years ago.

‘This is an extremely important discovery, the first find from that period,’ said Osman Eravsar, chairman of the Antalya Cultural Heritage Preservation Regional Board. Researchers have been examining the foundations of the church in Demre for decades. They also recently uncovered a fresco of Jesus at the site.

Mayor Heldy Agustian and his deputy, Sanuji Pentamarta of Cilegon, Banten Province, Indonesia joined Islamist organizations’ call to block construction of a Christian church. It triggered nationwide complaints of government interference in religious freedom.

‘This incident contravenes the Indonesian Constitution, which guarantees the equality of every citizen to adhere to a certain religion and to worship freely in accordance with their own religion.’ said the Rev. Jerry Sumampow of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia.