*Tato a další zprávy jsou (pouze v aktuální den) v originální anglické verzi zde.

A Macedonian court fined Serbian Orthodox Bishop Marko Kimev and a monk, Sasko Velkov, Tuesday, Jan. 27, for taking part in a baptism last summer. They were each handed fines equivalent to US$175 for participating in the baptism at St. Demetherios' Church in the southern Macedonian town of Bitola July 20, 2003. That service was broken up by police on the instigation of priests from the Macedonian Orthodox Church. Another bishop, Jovan Vranisskovski (who conducted the baptism), remains in jail for participating in a Jan. 11 church service at which Kimev and other monks and nuns were arrested by Macedonian police for "disturbance of the public peace." Representatives of both the Serbian and Greek Orthodox churches have asked the Macedonian government to release Vranisskovski who Amnesty International say has been jailed for his "nonviolent religious convictions." Macedonian officials have rejected these appeals. Kimev described the incidents as an "obvious attempt to scare Macedonian Orthodox Church monks who desire to join the Serbian Orthodox Church." (Forum 18 News Service)

* HCJB World Radio works with local partners to air weekly Macedonian programs on a private radio network that can be heard nationwide. More than a third of the letters sent in response to the broadcasts come from Muslim listeners. The broadcasts began in 1994.

CHRISTIAN WOMEN VICTIMIZED BY ISLAMIC LAW IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Enforcement of the Islamic legal code known as sharia is continuing in many of Nigeria's northern states, impinging on the religious liberty of Christians. Some 23 Christian women have been arraigned in Islamic courts on charges ranging from noncompliance with the Muslim dress code to prostitution. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) challenges all the prostitution charges. "Any unmarried woman, irrespective of her religious background, is seen by Muslim enforcers of the sharia as a prostitute," said Rev. Linus Awuhe, CAN chairman in Zamfara state. Eight women in Bauchi state were arraigned in an Islamic court for being unmarried and reportedly fined $300 and given 10 lashes. Dr. Peter Jatau, archbishop of Nigeria's Roman Catholic Church, said that strict enforcement of Islamic law could lead to the "incarceration of innocent Christian victims whose sin is that they are Christians." If that happens, Jatau warned, "there would be increased tension which would no doubt result in the occurrence of more religious conflicts." (Compass)

* HCJB World Radio, together with partners In Touch Ministries, SIM and the Evangelical Church of West Africa, began airing weekly half-hour programs to Nigeria in the Igbo language in 2000. In 2003, weekly broadcasts were added in two additional Nigerian languages -- Yoruba and Hausa.

YOUNG SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST WORKER IN CAMBODIA DIES OF MALARIA

So Dina, who served as media liaison officer for a tobacco and health awareness program in Cambodia operated by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), died on Monday, Jan. 26. Dina, who was in her early 20s, passed away from complications related to cerebral malaria that she had battled for four years. "Although this is a traumatic time for our team here we are trying to do all that can be done to console her friends and family," said Mark Schwisow, country director for ADRA Cambodia. "We request your continued prayers for Dina's friends and family as well as our entire ADRA team, particularly our tobacco team and many other staff in Phnom Penh and around the country." Dina is survived by her mother and a younger brother. Funeral services were held earlier today. (Adventist Development and Relief Agency)

PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN JAILED ON DUBIOUS BLASPHEMY CHARGE

In an apparent attempt to settle an old grudge, a Pakistani man who converted to Islam several months ago has implicated a Christian acquaintance for alleged blasphemy. Anwer Masih, 30, was arrested on Nov. 30 by police officials in Shadhra, an industrial town on the northern outskirts of Lahore. Two days earlier, Masih chanced upon a former neighbor who had become a Muslim about three months earlier and changed his name to Naseer Ahmad. Since becoming a Muslim, Ahmad has lived in Muridke at an Islamic school linked with the banned Lashkar-e-Tayyabba militant group. Local residents say that Ahmad carried a grudge against Masih from an incident two years ago when Ahmad was indicted for severely beating one of his Christian neighbors. Shahzad "Gora" Masih, 23, went into a coma and still remains paralyzed from Ahmad's beating. Masih had angered Ahmad by encouraging the victim's family to register a case against him, neighbors said. (Compass)

FEARS OF WAR BETWEEN ERITREA, ETHIOPIA DO LITTLE TO STOP MINISTRY

Fears about a possible renewal of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea failed to dampen the enthusiasm of pastors from both countries who met for a training conference led by Global Advance. "We had 563 pastors at the event from more than 20 different denominations," says ministry spokesman David Shibley. "It was the first-ever interdenominational training conference for pastors, and there was tremendous response." Shibley says the persecution of believers in Ethiopia and Eritrea is growing, but there is a "strong fraternity among pastors in Ethiopia and Eritrea. There are cultural challenges, and sometimes tribal challenges, yet at the same time there's a bond in Jesus Christ that they not only affirm, but live out day by day." (Mission Network News)

SERIES OF MISSION PROGRAMS TO DEBUT ON SKY ANGEL SATELLITE NETWORK

Steve Saint is the co-host of a new weekly television program featuring mission's greatest stories that debuts tonight on the Sky Angel satellite TV network. Saint, the son of missionary martyr Nate Saint, together with Dianne Becker, uncover missionary stories worldwide in a program called, "Mission: God at work, Faith in Action." The 30-minute program is a Faith Television Network original production that first aired in November. The series broadcasts on Sky Angel channel 9708 at 8 and 11 p.m. EST Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Thursdays, and 1 a.m. Sundays. The initial set of 13 programs features stories from ministries such as Africa Inland Mission, Pioneers, SIM, SEND and World Team as well as stories about the Saint family. The programs originate at Saint's base of operation -- a hangar in Ocala, Fla., that is home to the Indigenous Peoples Technology and Education Center (I-TEC), a nonprofit organization that works to empower indigenous churches to become a vital part of the Great Commission. A pilot like his dad, Saint shares stories about being a part of the most well-known mission story of our time -- the five missionaries who were martyred by the Waorani (Auca) Indians in Ecuador in 1956. The inaugural program features the Yali story -- the transformation of members of this Stone Age tribe in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, who were cannibals just 40 years ago and killed two missionaries in 1968. This was the first tribe in Papua province to have the complete Bible in their language. For more information, visit www.faithtelevisionnetwork.com . (Faith Television Network/Sky Angel/HCJB World Radio)

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