As wildfires rage in Greece, tourists flee and locals shelter; in Algeria, death toll rises to 34
Rhodes, GreeceReuters More than 2,000 holidaymakers were flown home on Monday, tour operators cancelled upcoming trips, and residents took shelter as wildfires raged on the Greek island of Rhodes for the seventh day. Repatriation flights are due to continue into Tuesday as the fires remained out of control. The Civil Protection authority warned the threat […]
Wildfire rips through Algeria, killing 42 people including soldiers
Algiers, AlgeriaReuters Forest fires in Algeria killed 42 people on Tuesday, including 25 soldiers deployed to help put out the blaze, the government said, as thick clouds of smoke covered much of the mountainous Kabylie region east of the capital. Dozens of separate fires have raged through forest areas across northern Algeria since Monday night […]
“Sad day” in Algeria as officials seal buildings of country’s largest churches
Tizi-Ouzou, AlgeriaMorning Star News Authorities in Algeria on Wednesday closed the Tafath (Light) church building in Tizi-Ouzou, a day after sealing shut the country’s largest church despite resistance, sources said. A third church in northern Algeria – the Source of Light church in Makouda – was also closed on Tuesday. Sealing of Tafath church in Tizi-Ouzou, […]
Peaceful sit-in provokes order to close Algerian church – Christian leader
Tizi-Ouzou, AlgeriaMorning Star News Christian protest of Algeria’s church closures resulted in an order on Sunday to seal the church building of the head of the umbrella group of Protestant churches, the leader said. Salah Chalah, head of the Protestant Church of Algeria umbrella group (l’Église Protestante d’Algérie, or EPA), said the order he received […]
Christians in Algeria hit with more church closures
Tizi-Ouzou, AlgeriaMorning Star News Authorities today sealed shut a church building in Tigzirt, Algeria, two days after shutting another building serving two churches without prior notice, sources said. Acting on orders from the governor of Tizi-Ouzou Province, eight police officers arrived at 11:45am on Tuesday at the Church of Boghni building and sealed the doors […]
Christian family accused of “proselytism” in Algeria – hearing postponed
World Watch Monitor Five Algerian Christians accused of “proselytism” will appear in court on 6 November, in Bouira, in Algeria’s north-eastern region of Kabylie. They had been due to appear on Tuesday, but the hearing was postponed. The five, including three members of the same family, are all from the town of Bechloul (Bouira province), […]
Algerian ‘happy to be free at last’ after jail sentence and fine for carrying Christian items
World Watch Monitor An Algerian Christian given a jail sentence and a fine for carrying a Bible and other Christian items has been acquitted. Idir Hamdad, 29, had been convicted in absentia on 28th September, 2017 (though he only learned about this five months later), and given the maximum sentence of six months in prison, […]
Algerian pastor “amazed” as three churches reopened
World Watch Monitor Three churches recently closed down by authorities in Algeria’s northern province of Oran were permitted to re-open last Sunday. The three churches, located in Oran city, Ain Turk (30 kilometres west of Oran), and El Ayaida (35 kilometres east of Oran), were closed between November, 2017, and February, 2018. Three churches in […]
Church-run nursery ordered to close in Algeria
World Watch Monitor Authorities in Algeria’s north-eastern city of Tizi-Ouzou, in the Kabylie region, have closed down a day-care centre for Christian children. The Early Childhood Home was established more than 10 years ago by Église Protestante du Plein Évangile (The Full Gospel Protestant Church), also known by its French acronym EPPETO. EPPETO is the […]
“Finally my father is home” – Slimane Bouhafs released after 18 months in Algerian jail
World Watch Monitor The daughter of Slimane Bouhafs, an Algerian Christian who has spent the last 18 months in prison for insulting Islam and its prophet, has announced her father’s release. “Finally my father…has been allowed back to us,” his daughter, Tilelli, wrote on her Facebook page on Easter Saturday. “Thank you for your support.” […]