Tag Archives: Religion

Washington, United States | AFP | Reverend Billy Graham, the influential Southern preacher who became a spiritual advisor to several US presidents and millions of Americans via their television sets, died Wednesday. He was 99. The one-time backwoods minister who eventually became the world’s foremost Christian evangelist, spread a message …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Church spires across Britain will be used to boost broadband, mobile phone and WiFi connectivity in rural areas, under a deal struck between the government and the Church of England, it was announced Sunday. “This agreement with the Church of England will mean that …

Jakarta, Indonesia | AFP | Valentine’s Day was banned in some Indonesian cities Wednesday as police rounded up amorous couples, giving the official kiss-off to a tradition which critics say doesn’t deserve any love in the Muslim-majority nation. The prohibitions come amid concerns that traditionally tolerant Indonesia is taking a …

Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP | Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi capped a whirlwind visit to the UAE on Sunday, giving a keynote address as guest of honour at the World Government Summit in Dubai. Modi praised the United Arab Emirates, home to 3.3 million Indian nationals, for having …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Britain’s most senior Catholic said Friday that there have “never been so many victims of human trafficking” at a Vatican conference aimed at tackling the problem. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and president of the Santa Marta anti-trafficking group, said: “We estimate there are …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A South African court on Friday convicted a self-styled prophet who sprayed his followers in the face with domestic insect killer as a supposed cure for illness. Lethebo Rabalago was found guilty on five charges of grievous assault and contravening chemicals laws for using “Doom”, …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet Pope Francis on Monday, with a protest ban imposed in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. For the first such visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis will send the Vatican’s top expert on sex abuse to Chile to hear from witnesses in the case of a Chilean bishop accused of covering for a paedophile priest, the Vatican announced Tuesday. The pope’s decision was taken on the basis of …

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE, Undefined | AFP | Pope Francis on Monday apologised to victims of sexual abuse after he caused outrage by appearing to support a controversial Chilean bishop. The pope acknowledged he had “hurt” people by suggesting there was no “proof” against Juan Barros, who is accused of covering …

Beijing, China | AFP | Authorities in a Muslim-majority county in northwest China have banned schoolchildren from going to mosques during their winter holidays, a state-run daily reported Friday, the latest tightening of regulations on religious freedoms. The decision was outlined in a notice sent to all high schools, primary …