Sydney, Australia | AFP | Cardinal George Pell, one of the most powerful figures in the Vatican and Australia’s most senior Catholic, was Thursday charged with historical child sex offences, which he “strenuously denied”. Pell, the Vatican’s finance chief and the highest-ranking Catholic cleric to face such charges, had been …
Read More »Trump wishes Muslims ‘warm greetings’ for Eid
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Saturday sent warm greetings” to Muslims celebrating the end of Ramadan, after his administration broke with the tradition of hosting a White House event to recognize the holy month. “On behalf of the American people, Melania and I send …
Read More »Saudi Arabia, Uganda to mark end of Ramadan from Sunday
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | The Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is to start on Sunday in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Gulf states, the religious authorities announced. Uganda in East Africa also announced the moon had been sighted. Sheikh Yahaya Kakungulu , …
Read More »Iran, Qatar voice support for Saudi after Mecca bombing
Tehran, Iran | AFP | Both Iran and Qatar on Saturday voiced support for Saudi Arabia over a suicide bombing near Islam’s holiest site in Mecca despite their severed ties. “Iran… as always expresses its readiness to assist and cooperate with other countries to confront these criminals, who deal death …
Read More »Police foil ‘terrorist action’ in Mecca
Mecca, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi Arabian police foiled on Friday a “terrorist action” against Islam’s holiest site, where millions of faithful from around the world have gathered, the state Al-Ekhbaria news channel said. Citing the Ministry of the Interior, it said 11 people were injured in the collapse of …
Read More »Pope sends funds to hunger-struck S.Sudan
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis is supporting a series of aid projects in South Sudan, the Vatican said Wednesday, sending money in his place after a trip to the war-torn country was ruled out. The Vatican will donate 462,000 euros ($515,000), which will be divided among …
Read More »VATICAN: The 2017 Uganda Martyrs Day celebration starts
Namugongo, Uganda | VATICAN RADIO | All is in place for the 2017 Uganda Martyrs Day celebration Saturday, June 3 at Namugongo Catholic Shrine. The Chairperson of the Organising Committee, Dr Kiiza Aliba, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Justice and Peace Department of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, said Friday that …
Read More »Tunisians get jail terms for eating during Ramadan
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | A court in northern Tunisia handed one-month jail terms Thursday to four men for eating in public during the Muslim dawn-to-dusk fasting month of Ramadan, a spokesman said. The four had been “eating and smoking in a public garden, a provocative act during Ramadan”, which …
Read More »Bishop Twinomujuni consecrated, Museveni urges Church to moblize for wealth creation
Mbarara, Uganda | PPU | President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon church leaders to encourage their congregations to create wealth. Museveni who was speaking at the consecration ceremony of the 4th West Ankole Diocese Bishop Rev Canon Johnson Twinomujuni at Bweranyangi Girls Secondary School asked the church leaders to …
Read More »Indian state to challenge Modi’s cow slaughter ban
New Delhi, India | AFP | A southern Indian state announced Sunday it would go to the supreme court to challenge a federal ban on the sale of cows for slaughter, stepping up a showdown with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Cows are considered sacred by Hindus and the Hindu nationalist …
Read More »
The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price