Germany's defense minister refused to wear a traditional head covering during her visit with a Saudi Arabian prince, arguing that women have as much right as men do to wear whatever they choose.

There were emotional scenes in court on the first day of the blasphemy trial of Jakarta's governor, a Christian of Chinese descent.

A Muslim convert is accused of breaking an Asbo by touring London preaching Sharia Law to members of the public, a court heard.

A bomb explosion in the Coptic Christian cathedral complex in the Egyptian capital Cairo has killed at least 25 people, officials say. Dozens of others were injured in the blast in a chapel adjoining St Mark's cathedral during a Sunday service.

Islamic leaders in Australia have backed a campaign to produce an alternative to Peppa Pig set in a "predominantly Muslim town". The ANIC encouraged parents to raise funds for TV that supports Islamic values.

Saudi Women are still not permitted to drive cars, with this being ruled by Wahhibist scholars as "haram", or forbidden, due to the requirement for women to maintain covering, and the threat that they would have to interact with men outside their families.

Today it was reported that a Saudi woman who posted a picture of herself in public without a hijab faced outrage. One man said, "Kill her and throw her corpse to the dogs."

Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who lives under constant protection, has told AFP that Islamic fundamentalism has destroyed Bangladeshi society.

Powerful testimony from Muslim women has been published by MPs as part of their investigation into sharia, while activists have warned that its approach so far has favoured those who support sharia councils.

An atheist's request for a personalized license plate saying "IM GOD" was denied by the state of Kentucky, which said it might distract other drivers, and would be in bad taste.

Pope Francis has declared that priests have the permanent right from now on to forgive abortions.

In a Facebook post, self-proclaimed prophet Lethebo Rabalago claims a pesticide called Doom can heal people.

Detained in Dubai, an organisation that assists victims of injustice in the UAE, has warned against reporting rape or other crimes in the country because of the "manipulation when it comes to criminal accusations" and "racist" preconceptions against Western tourists.

A British tourist has been arrested and charged with illegal "extra-marital sex" in Dubai after telling police she had been gang raped.

A Muslim police chaplain has faced criticism after he reportedly said women commit "a major sin" if they refuse to have sex with their husbands.

Pope Francis has ruled out a woman ever serving as a priest in the Roman Catholic church.

An Indonesian woman has been caned in front of a jeering crowd on Monday after being accused of "standing too close to her boyfriend".

Saudi Arabia,s highest Islamic figure, the grand mufti, denounced the call to abolish guardianship as a crime against Islam. On the other hand, a number of key religious figures supported ending guardianship on the basis that the system does not have a grounding in Islam; a conflicting scenario typical to every public demand to reform women's rights. State officials repeatedly attribute delays in enforcing gender equality to cultural beliefs.

Thousands of ex-Muslims in Britain are living in fear of violent revenge for abandoning the Islamic faith while others are afraid to admit they no longer believe, a support group for ex-Muslims has said.

An episode of Fireman Sam in which one character appears to tread on a page from the Koran has been withdrawn.

Thousands of people have circulated a short animation video designed to show the restrictions that Saudi Arabia's male guardianship system places on women. The video, published on Facebook by Human Rights Watch, depicts a Saudi woman being forced to reconcile with her abusive husband. It shows the woman being beaten by her husband before he orders her to leave the home. She then goes to a shelter and is told the best thing she can do is reconcile with her husband.