Christians and Muslims fought in the streets of western Cairo in violence triggered by word of a mixed romance, Egypt’s official news agency reported.

A car exploded in front of a Coptic Christian church as worshippers emerged from a New Year’s Mass in the Egyptian city of Alexandria early today, killing at least 21 people.

The wives of two Egyptian Coptic priests, forbidden by the church from divorcing their abusive husbands, desperately sought another way out by converting to Islam.

Iraqi Christians cancelled Christmas festivities across the country today as al-Qaida insurgents threatened more attacks on their community.

Muslim and Christian leaders came together today in an attempt to show that battling terrorism is a common goal which cuts across the religious and cultural divide.

Crowds gathered at a monastery in southern Egypt today to protest at revelations that an excommunicated monk allegedly ran a sex-and-blackmail ring at the sacred site.