An Egyptian court accepted an appeal yesterday from 45 Copts who were denied the right to reclaim their religious identities after they decided to convert back to Christianity from Islam, a lawyer and court officials said.

When police came to his home on a quiet cul-de-sac in this Fort Worth suburb last summer, it was to demand that Merced -- an Oba, or Santeria priest -- call off a religious ceremony planned for the next day.

After launching several anti-Christian attacks during the last week of 2006, Hindu extremists went on to beat more Christians, vandalize vehicles and organize a protest rally against a church, dampening New Year celebrations.

A Roman Catholic prelate in Cuba said while visiting Miami's Cuban exile community that religious practice is slowly spreading in that nation despite rigid restrictions.

A Christian law group is accusing Mount Rushmore officials of trampling the free speech and religious rights of a Coon Rapids, Minn., man who alleges he cannot get a permit to distribute r

ISTANBUL, Turkey - For Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal, two best friends, enjoying a casual walk along the streets of Istanbul has taken on new meaning. In the next couple of months, the two converts from Islam to Christianity could face the prospect of spending up three years behind bars.

The five-day visit by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom ended Friday.

A gunman opened fire in the parking lot of a Colorado Springs church on Sunday, striking four people, the church's pastor said.The conditions of the people shot outside the New Life Ch

A chimpanzee cannot be declared a person, Austria's Supreme Court has ruled, activists said Tuesday.An animal rights group had sought to have the chimp, Matthew Hiasl Pan, declared a