In Bahrain, Pope’s message may get caught in Shi’ite-Sunni Muslim divide
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis leaves on Thursday for Bahrain, a trip aimed at improving ties with the Islamic world but which could thrust him into a human rights conflict between the Sunni-led monarchy and its Shi’ite Muslim opposition. It is only the second visit by a pope to the Arabian Peninsula, following his 2019 visit […]
Islamic State claims Iran shrine attack, Iran vows response
Updated: 4pm (AEST)Dubai, United Arab EmiratesReuters The militant group Islamic State said it carried out an attack on a Shi’ite Muslim shrine in Iran on Wednesday which killed 15 people, escalating tensions in a country reeling from a wave of protests and prompting warnings of a response from Tehran. Iranian officials said they had arrested […]
At least six killed in blasts at Kabul high school
Kabul, AfghanistanReuters Three explosions at a high school in western Kabul killed at least six people and injured a number of students, Afghan security and health officials said. Many residents in the neighbourhood belong to the Shia Hazara community, an ethnic and religious minority frequently targeted by Sunni militant groups, including Islamic State. “Three blasts […]
Essay: How ethnic and religious divides in Afghanistan are contributing to violence against minorities
In an article published on The Conversation, ABDULKADER SINNO, associate professor at Indiana University, says ethnicity and religion are key to understanding the politics and conflicts of today’s Afghanistan…
ESSAY: RELIGION IN THE (US) CLASSROOM – WHERE THE FAITHFUL AND THE ACLU CAN AGREE
Author STEPHEN MANSFIELD, in an article first published on Religion News Service, says the problem with religion in the US lies in ignorance…
Turkey’s Protestant Christians ‘feel stronger’ after trauma of Brunson case
World Watch Monitor Turkey’s tiny Christian community has “emerged stronger” from the high-profile trauma of evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson’s highly contested imprisonment and trial, according to a spokesman for Turkey’s Protestant Christians. The US pastor’s two-year ordeal culminated in a Turkish court’s decision on 12th October for his release and departure to the United States. “It feels […]
Religious minorities fear backlash as Sunni Islam declared state religion of Comoros
World Watch Monitor On Monday, 30th July, the “Yes” vote recorded an overwhelming victory in the referendum on constitutional reforms in the southeast African island nation of Comoros, declaring Sunni Islam the “religion of the state”. “The state draws from this religion the principles and rules of Sunnite observance,” the amended constitution reads. Comoros is […]
Sixty-nine punished for practising faith in Kazakhstan in first half of 2018
World Watch Monitor Courts in Kazakhstan prosecuted at least 69 individuals, religious communities or organisations for religious activities in the first half of this year, according to Oslo-based news service Forum 18. Punishments included fines of up to four months’ average salary ($US1,400) and three-month bans on activities such as distributing religious literature or meeting for worship. […]
Iraqi archbishop tells USAID delegation to hurry up aid delivery
World Watch Monitor An Iraqi Catholic archbishop has said he and other bishops are “delighted” that the US aid arm is to make good on a pledge to send aid directly to non-Muslim communities recovering from the so-called Islamic State’s occupation of their towns and villages, but warned “time is running [out]”. Archbishop Bashar Warda […]
Chaldean Patriarch congratulates surprise Iraqi election winner
World Watch Monitor The Chaldean Patriarch, Louis Raphael I Sako, has telephoned Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr to congratulate him on his unexpected victory in the country’s recent parliamentary elections. The Patriarchate also said that Sako told Sadr he hoped for a government that promotes the common good of all the Iraqi people. According to […]