Tag Archives: Religion

Rome, Italy | AFP | Two prisoners who were invited to meet Pope Francis for lunch on his recent visit to Bologna took advantage of the occasion to escape, local media reports said Wednesday. The two men, who were being held in a rehabilitation facility for drug addicts and prisoners, were …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis on Wednesday urged people across the world to open their arms to migrants, as Catholic charity Caritas launched its “Share the Journey” campaign on migration. “With open arms … that is exactly how to welcome (migrants), with arms wide open,” Francis …

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | AFP | A Malaysian man has been reprimanded by Islamic authorities for “indecent dressing” after he was caught wearing shorts in public on the way to a football match, officials and reports said Wednesday. The case in Kelantan, a state ruled by an influential Islamist party, sparked …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP |  Zimbabwean activist pastor Evan Mawarire was on Sunday arrested during a church service after he posted a video bemoaning the country’s worsening economic troubles, his lawyer said. The charismatic pastor who has been arrested several times for his dissenting views informed the congregation about his …

  Kampala, Uganda | THIS WEEK |  Sheikh Adbdul Busulwa, the chairperson Federation of Hajj Affairs in Uganda on Sept.04 confirmed the death of an 83 year old pilgrim who died in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Hajji Dauda Musoke a resident of Namagoma Wakiso district was found dead in his room. The deceased is …

Besançon, France | AFP | Tourists visiting a church in the picturesque French town of Chateau-Chalon were surprised to discover that local pranksters had replaced the fonts’ holy water with alcohol, the local tourism office said Friday. A dozen tourists sniffed out the telltale signs of eau-de-vie, a clear fruit brandy, …

  Lagos, Nigeria | AFP |  Poverty, marginalisation and bad governance are more important factors in the radicalisation of young Africans than religion, according to a new study published on Thursday. The UN came to the conclusion after interviewing 495 former members of organisations such as Nigeria’s Boko Haram, the …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis visits Colombia next week on the latest in a series of emotionally charged trips to his home region of Latin America. Here are five key challenges that the Argentine pope has confronted in a continent stricken by poverty and crime: – Colombian …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the former leader of England’s Roman Catholics, died on Friday after a battle with cancer, the church said. The former archbishop of Westminster, who was 85, was admitted to hospital last month. “Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor died peacefully this afternoon, surrounded by …

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Qatar has blocked Saudi planes from transporting hajj pilgrims, Saudi state media said Sunday, after Riyadh reopened the border despite a major diplomatic crisis roiling the Gulf. Riyadh last week reopened its land border with Qatar and allocated seven flights of the Saudi national carrier …