Soundbite – The Week That Was…
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Anglican bishop kidnapped in Nigeria
A Nigerian Anglican bishop has been kidnapped from his home by unknown gunmen. The assailants reportedly stormed the official residence of Clement Ekpeye, the Bishop of Ahoada, in Rivers state in the country’s south on Tuesday night. Police are investigating. Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary-general of the Anglican Communion, said he was “distraught” to hear about […]
Sharp rise in deaths of homeless people in England and Wales, official data shows
Thomson Reuters Foundation The number of people who died while homeless in England and Wales climbed nearly a quarter in five years, according to the first official data, which was published on Thursday. The Office for National Statistics, a government agency, said 597 homeless people died last year, a rise from 482 who died in 2013. […]
Merry or misery? Shoppers urged to avoid Christmas gifts linked to slavery
Thomson Reuters Foundation Christmas holidaymakers have been warned by officials and campaigners not to inadvertently fund slavery with their gift lists as awareness grows over forced and child labour used in a list of products from princess dolls to sparkly make-up. Festive goods ranging from toys to novelty jumpers to counterfeit designer bags may be […]
PAKISTAN: CHRISTIANS FACE AN UNEASY CHRISTMAS IN THE WAKE OF ASIA BIBI’S RELEASE
NAILA INAYAT, of Religion News Service, reports from Pakistan…
Photo essay – Native artisans fight to survive in ‘the town of the Nativities’
Amozoc, MexicoRNS It’s known as the town of the Nativities, or los nacimientos. For more than a century, Amozoc, in central Mexico, has been the home of craftsmen skilled in creating religious figurines, who have passed their skills down through generations. But the industry has undergone tremendous change in the past decade, due to competition from […]
ESSAY: YES, RETAILERS EXPLOIT CHRISTMAS, BUT THEIR DECORATIONS STILL EVOKE RELIGIOUS SPIRIT
JOSHUA NEWTON, of Deakin University in Australia, looks at the findings of research showing that despite commercialism, the “true spirit” of Christmas remains…