Religion

A collection of 24 posts

Canadian Convicted in 1980 Paris Synagogue Bombing

On Friday, a Paris court found Lebanese-Canadian professor Hassan Diab guilty in absentia of the 1980 Paris synagogue bombing that killed four people and injured 46 others, sentencing him to life in prison.

Religion

Al Jazeera: Hindu Mob Set Fire to Historic Library at Muslim School

On Monday, Al Jazeera reported that Madrassa Azizia, a prominent Muslim school in Bihar Sharif town of Nalanda district in eastern India’s Bihar state, was set on fire by a mob on the occasion of the Hindu festival Ram Navami....

Terrorism

Al Jazeera: Rise in Hindu Festival Violence Since BJP Retook India's Maharashtra

On Friday, Al Jazeera published a report claiming that India's western state of Maharashtra — home to almost 13M Muslims, or 11.5% of its population — has seen a rise in Hindu rallies that allegedly spread anti-Muslim sentiment and often lead to violent clashes since PM Narendra Modi's Bharat...

Politics

Maryland Report Reveals 'Staggering' Church Sex Abuse

Maryland Attorney General (AG) Anthony Brown’s office released a 450-page report Wednesday identifying 158 priests accused of abusing over 600 victims since the 1940s. The report indicated the number of victims is likely higher as it largely examined cases before 2002....

Religion

Oklahoma Eyes First Religious Charter School Since SCOTUS Ruling

An Oklahoma school board that considers applications for charter schools in the state next week will consider whether to approve the application of the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which would be the first-ever taxpayer-funded religious charter school in the US....

Schools

Sutherland Springs Shooting Victims, DOJ Reach $144M Settlement

The US Dept. of Justice (DOJ) has reached a tentative $144M agreement to settle claims from more than 75 plaintiffs stemming from the November 2017 mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas....

Murders and attempted murders

Israeli Police Again Clash with Palestinians at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli police again raided Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque late Wednesday night — the second such raid in 24 hours — after the first led to Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip firing at least nine rockets into Israel. Israel responded with air strikes that hit what it said were weapon product...

Israel

Vatican: China Unilaterally Appointed Bishop to Shanghai Despite Pact

The Vatican on Tuesday claimed that Chinese authorities have unilaterally appointed a new bishop to Shanghai, the largest Roman Catholic diocese in China, apparently violating their bilateral, secret deal on the appointment of bishops....

Religion

4 Bankers Convicted For Helping Putin's Friend

Four unnamed bankers at the Zurich branch of Russia’s Gazprombank who allowed a friend of Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin to deposit huge sums in Swiss bank accounts have been found guilty of lacking due diligence....

Ukraine

Pope Francis Hospitalized With Bronchitis Infection

The Vatican said on Thursday that Pope Francis' health is improving, after he was taken to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Wednesday following his weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square with complaints of breathing difficulties....

Metaculus

Kyiv Suburb of Bucha Marks One Year Since Liberation

The Kyiv suburb of Bucha, where Ukraine alleges Russian forces committed scores of atrocities in their short-lived occupation of the town in the first weeks of the war, marked the first anniversary of its liberation on Friday....

Ukraine

India Temple Well Collapse Kills At Least 36

On Thursday, a floor covering a 40-feet deep stepwell at a temple in central India collapsed, killing at least 36 people and injuring over a dozen more, local officials said as rescue teams continued to search for the missing on Friday....

India

Kentucky, West Virginia Move to Limit Transgender Therapies For Minors

Kentucky and West Virginia have advanced laws to limit access to gender-reassignment therapies for children. The legislations increase the total number of states attempting to restrict such treatments to 11....

Children and youth

US: Russia Offering Food to N. Korea for Weapons

US national security spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that Russia is offering North Korea food in exchange for weapons. The US has previously accused North Korea — and other regimes like Iran — of backing Russia's campaign in Ukraine....

Ukraine

Russia Detains WSJ Reporter on Espionage Charges

Russia's Federal Security Service — the successor agency to the Soviet-era KGB — said on Thursday that it had arrested Evan Gershkovich, a 31-year-old US citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter, on espionage charges....

Ukraine

Evicted Kyiv Monks Refuse to Leave Complex

Tensions ran high at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex — also known as the Monastery of the Caves — after representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) refused to leave the premises despite an eviction order set to go into force on Wednesday....

Ukraine

UN Observes First International Anti-Islamophobia Day

The UN on Friday hosted a special event to commemorate the first-ever International Day to Combat Islamophobia. In 2022, March 15 was designated as the day for observation with a unanimous vote by the UN General Assembly....

World

India: Court Orders Bipartisan Panel to Select Election Officers

India's Supreme Court has ordered the creation of an independent panel to appoint members of the Election Commission. It will include the prime minister, chief justice, and either the leader of the opposition in the lower house of parliament or the opposition party with the highest number of hous...

Politics

UK: Labour's Starmer Sets Five Missions for Government

On Thursday, opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer issued five missions he believes will give the UK 'its future back,' including securing the highest sustained growth in the G7, building a stronger health system, making streets safe, breaking down barriers to opportunities, and making Brit...

Politics

BBC Offices in India Searched Following Modi Documentary

Income tax authorities have searched BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai, just weeks after the broadcaster released a controversial documentary criticizing Indian Prime Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi....

Metaculus

Report: More than 4K Children Abused By Portugal's Catholic Church

A panel of experts on Monday announced that their investigation had found that more than 4.8K individuals may have been sexually abused as children by the Portuguese Catholic Church. Though Senior church officials claimed there were only a handful of cases, at least 512 victims have come forward....

Metaculus

Omagh Bombing: Probe Announced into 1998 Attack

It was announced on Thursday that the British government will hold an independent inquiry into the 1998 bombing in Omagh, Northern Ireland, that killed 29 people

Ireland

First Palestinian Woman Ordained in Jerusalem

On Sunday, in a Lutheran Church ceremony in Jerusalem, Sally Azar became the first female Palestinian pastor in the Holy Land

Israel

Amnesty: India Police Flogging Muslims ‘Serious Rights Violation’

Human rights group Amnesty International has condemned the public flogging of Muslims by police in the BJP-ruled Indian state of Gujarat. A video of Tuesday's incident in the village of Udhela constitutes, 'a serious human rights violation,' according to the organization, and shows, 'utter disres...

Politics