Little more than three years after receiving a Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) license, United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) will launch of London’s first digital Christian radio station on Jan. 15. UCB is one of the largest Christian media charities in the U.K. and Ireland. Legislation blocked UCB’s plans to develop a national AM or FM radio network However, UCB Chief Executive Ian Mackie pointed out, “While the door to national AM or FM broadcasting was firmly closed, a new door opened. UCB was able to apply for DAB digital radio licenses for local, regional and national coverage.” Once the outreach was granted a license, UCB discovered there were no slots available on the national digital network. Instead, they have sought to establish national coverage region by region. When capacity opened up in London, the group immediately registered its interest in the slot. Initial broadcasts will mirror UCB’s flagship station, UCB UK, which is heard across the U.K. and Ireland on digital satellite, digital cable and the Internet. Robbie Frawley, UCB’s radio stations manager, said, “We have plans to ensure compelling and relevant broadcasting in London and the Greater London area.” (Assist News Service)

UPDATE: IRANIAN CHURCH LEADER CHARGED ANEW, OTHERS RELEASED

News of the fate of some of the eight Iranian house church leaders arrested in their homes in the early-morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 10, is trickling out to news sources. Leader Behrouz Sadegh-Khandjani has been in custody for nearly a month and recently received new charges that he must pay an “outstanding debt.” Unconfirmed reports claim that secret police have encouraged a rental car company to demand he pay off debts incurred in an uninsured rental car crash two years ago. Tehran leader Hamid Reza Toluinia was reportedly freed on Christmas Day after his father presented officials with the title deed to a house. Sadegh-Khandjani’s sister, Shirin was freed two days later, but it was unclear how the $40,000 bail was paid. Members of the group raised nearly that amount to win the release of two other leaders held in Tehran last week, but they paid smaller amounts to free members in the cities of Karaj, Rasht and Bandar-i Anzali. (BosNewsLife)

INDIA’S DALITS GRANTED LEGAL BOOST WITH NEW CHIEF JUSTICE

India’s “untouchable” Dalits may have a new advocate in the country’s most powerful court. Konakuppakattil Gopinathan Balakrishnan, himself a Dalit, was appointed to serve as chief justice of India’s Supreme court beginning Sunday, Jan. 14, and scheduled to serve through May 2010 when he is slated to retire. Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan said, “This is one of the most significant things to happen in the history of the nation of India. I surely believe God is behind this.” Balakrishnan’s life is testament to the fact that Dalits are denied the same basic freedoms and opportunities awarded to the upper castes. Since he was born to a Dalit family in 1945, Balakrishnan was not welcome at public schools. He changed his name to Kunhachan Marcos so people would think he was a Christian. He received his education at a church-run school, went on to college and later practiced both civil and criminal law. He was promoted to the Supreme Court in 2000 after serving on the Gujarat state court. (Assist News Service)

MALAYSIA’S HEAVY RAINS DISPLACE THOUSANDS, DAMAGE CHURCHES

Heavy rains and flooding in southern Malaysia killed 16 people and displaced more than 90,000 just days before the Christmas holidays. Associated Press reported that 74,000 evacuees in public shelters in the southern state of Johor, bordering Singapore, 12,650 in neighboring Malacca state and 5,100 in eastern Pahang state after recording rainfalls up to 16 inches in one 24-hour period. Andrew Siew, executive secretary for the Gereja Presbyterian Malaysia synod, a Council for World Missions member, appealed for prayers for those affected by the flood. Among the churches affected is Truth Presbyterian Church in Kota Tinggi, the worst-affected area. The church is close to the river and was submerged under 11 feet of water. The piano, Bibles and hymnals were destroyed, and the pastor’s residence was inundated. At least 20 member families were affected. In Sagamat, the van belonging to another Presbyterian church was damaged by floodwaters. The Gereja Presbyterian Malaysia synod is collecting donations for distribution to flood-affected families. (Counsel for World Missions/Associated Press) * HCJB Global opened an office in Singapore in 2005 as the hub for the Asia Pacific Region. This is the most populous area of the world with more than 3.5 billion people.

RICK WARREN EMPHASIZES CHURCH’S ROLE IN AIDS PREVENTION

Pastor Rick Warren advocated for the church worldwide to become more involved in the battle against AIDS during the Urbana 06 student missions conference held Dec. 27-30 in St. Louis. “Even if we had drugs for everybody today, if we had a cure for everybody today, we could not get it to the people without [the help of] churches,” he said. “It’s not going to happen.” In a summary of the four most popular secular methods of AIDS prevention, he referred to the acrostic SLOW (Supply condoms, Limit the number of partners, Offer needle exchange, Wait for the first onset of sex). He admitted these methods will work to a degree. “But if you want to stop it, now you have to bring in the church,” Warren said. He proposed the acrostic STOP (Save sex for marriage, Teach men to respect women and children, Offer treatment through churches, Pledge yourself to one partner for life). (Religion Today)

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