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Today’s News Headlines:

INDONESIAN CLERIC ACQUITTED OF LEADING CHURCH ATTACKS FINAL HEARING SET FOR STAINES MURDER CASE IN INDIA 10 VIETNAMESE PASTORS ARRESTED, BEATEN BEFORE BEING RELEASED BAPTIST FINED AFTER POLICE BREAK UP OPEN-AIR SERVICE IN MOSCOW GUTTED CHRISTIAN TV PRODUCTION STUDIO IN EGYPT ‘FULLY REPAIRED’ 30,000 GATHER AT ONE OF U.K.’S LARGEST-EVER CHRISTIAN EVENTS

Today’s News Stories:

INDONESIAN CLERIC ACQUITTED OF LEADING CHURCH ATTACKS On Monday, Sept. 1, an Indonesian court convicted Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Ba’asyir of treason and immigration charges and sentenced him to four years in jail. He was, however, acquitted of more serious charges when the judges ruled that there was not sufficient evidence to convict him of leading the militant Islamic group Jemaah Islamiah. This group has been responsible for several attacks on churches, including attacks in December 2000, which left nineteen people dead. Prosecutors alleged that Ba’asyir had approved the church attacks. The group has links to al-Qaida and has been blamed for last year’s bombing of a nightclub in Bali and a failed assassination attempt on Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Christians are on alert, concerned that the ruling could stir up further militancy by Islamic groups in Indonesia. (Voice of the Martyrs)

FINAL HEARING SET FOR STAINES MURDER CASE IN INDIA The final court hearing regarding the case of Australian missionary Graham Staines, who was murdered in January 1999 along with his two young sons, will be held in India’s Orissa state Monday, Sept. 8. Chief murder suspect is Dara Singh, a well-liked Indian wrestler and actor who is accused of leading a band of crazed Hindus that poured gasoline on the Jeep station wagon in which the three were sleeping in Manoharpur village. Eyewitness said the attackers then set the vehicle ablaze and kept the occupants from escaping even as other villagers came to the rescue. While most Christians have denounced Singh, many Hindus consider him a national hero and defender of their culture. Orissa state continues to provide a climate for the harassment and persecution of Christians. Authorities are strictly enforcing the state’s Freedom of Religion Act, passed in 1967, to restrict evangelism. Believers say the law is in conflict with India’s national constitution and brought suit before the Orissa High Court, but the court dismissed the case without hearing it. Christians are now taking the matter to the Supreme Court in New Delhi. (Missions Insider)

* HCJB World Radio-Australia’s new shortwave site Kununurra airs 61/2 hours of daily English programming across South Asia, including India. Two half-hour programs in Urdu, airing Monday through Saturday, were added in July, and plans are being made to start Hindi programs. In partnership with FEBA Radio, HCJB World Radio also airs weekly Christian programs to eastern India via shortwave in three languages: Bhojpuri, Chattisgarhi and Mundari.

10 VIETNAMESE PASTORS ARRESTED, BEATEN BEFORE BEING RELEASED Ten pastors were taken from a meeting at the home of Rev. Bùi Ba in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Monday, Aug. 18. After protests from the United Gospel Outreach Church, seven of the pastors were released. Ba and two other pastors were handcuffed to tables and tortured. The three were released the following day after representatives of the United Nations Human Rights Committee flew to Ho Chi Minh City to intervene. Ba remains under house arrest, charged with resisting arrest. (Voice of the Martyrs)

BAPTIST FINED AFTER POLICE BREAK UP OPEN-AIR SERVICE IN MOSCOW After police broke up an open-air Baptist evangelistic service in southern Moscow, a court ruled Aug. 11 that the singing and praying “disturbed public order and the peace of those relaxing nearby.” One Baptist was fined the equivalent of US$16 after police said he swore at them, a charge denied by local Baptists. A statement from the Baptist Council of Churches said the group met in Moscow July 26 for an evangelistic service. Asked to disperse by police soon after beginning worship, they refused, citing the “biblical command to go out and preach about God’s salvation.” Baptist spokesman Veniamin Khorev said that Russia’s law on religion gives even an unregistered religious group the right to gather in any public place. However, state officials maintain that mass meetings, street processions, demonstrations and pickets may only take place if the relevant local authority has been given advance warning. The Baptists have refused to register with the authorities, so they have no legal status and in practice cannot rent buildings for worship. The group’s evangelistic events have been disrupted across Russia this summer with books confiscated, tents taken down, six church members detained for five days and four fined. Khorev said this is “all part of the normal life of our church.” (Forum 18 News Service)

GUTTED CHRISTIAN TV PRODUCTION STUDIO IN EGYPT ‘FULLY REPAIRED’ SAT-7′S Christian TV production studio in Cairo, Egypt, literally came through the fires of tribulation to emerge as more refined gold this week. The broadcast center was destroyed one year ago, taking with it $400,000 worth of equipment, but thankfully no one was injured. The blaze set back the ministry for a time, but thanks to believers in Egypt and around the globe, the studio is now fully repaired and operational again. “Please join us in thanking God that the fire gutted Cairo studio is now completely restored,” said SAT-7 spokesman Terence Ascott. “Internal walls have been rebuilt, a replacement TV lighting system has been installed, some damaged equipment has been repaired and new fire fighting and security systems have been added. Please pray that the Lord will protect all of SAT-7′s studios from any future accident or assault.” (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio reaches across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe with Christian Arabic programming aired via shortwave, satellite and local stations. The Radio Al Mahabba (Radio Love) Arabic satellite network airs programs direct-to-home 24 hours a day. This region has the world’s highest concentration of personal satellite dishes.

30,000 GATHER AT ONE OF U.K.’S LARGEST-EVER CHRISTIAN EVENTS More than 30,000 people gathered in Manchester Sunday, Aug. 31, for the final day of one of the largest Christian events ever staged in the U.K. The Luis Palau Evangelistic Association and Manchester’s Message Trust worked with more than 500 churches, the Manchester and Salford city councils, local police and dozens of corporate and private supporters to produce the outdoor event. “Festival: Manchester” combined community service and social action projects with a music festival. In conjunction with the festival, nearly 5,000 volunteer/delegates from across the U.K. and Western Europe worked on some 300 service projects in some of the city’s most deprived areas. More than 1,500 attendees made first-time decisions for Christ as a result of Palau’s gospel message. “We’ve dreamed of a church community that gets involved with broken communities that desperately need Jesus,” said Message Trust Director Andy Hawthorne. “At the festival in Manchester that dream started to become a reality.” (Assist News Service)

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * James A. Ferrier HCJB World Radio U.S. Ministries Communications Director E-mail: Phone: 1-719-590-9800 Fax: 1-719-590-9801 Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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