A new wave of religious freedom is sweeping across Libya, say Christians in the north African country. This follows three decades during which the tiny community faced restrictions due to the nation's hostile stance towards the West - which people identified with Christianity.

The freedom to live out religious convictions is an important part of what it means to live in a plural and democratic society, says Catholic Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor.

The New Year has started more-or-less where 2006 left off, with a new row about religious symbolism and artefacts in relation to the policy of a major airline.

In a case that has become the focus of a national debate on religious freedom, Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court has ruled against the right of Baha'is to be properly identified on government documents.