[JURIST] The Malaysian High Court Monday accepted a challenge by Malay-Roman Catholic Herald [media website] newspaper to a government ban on using the word "Allah" as a synonym for "God," rejecting the government's argument that the lawsuit by the Kuala Lumpur-based weekly was without merit. The Malaysian government imposed the ban in January after saying last year that only Muslims could use the word. It also threatened to revoke the Herald's publication license.

Approximately 60 percent of Malaysians are Muslim, while Buddhists, Christians, and Hindus comprise about 35 percent of the population. "Allah", the Arabic word for "God," is used by Arabic speakers of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths. AFP has more. AKI has additional coverage.