China rebuffs UN plea over ‘disappeared’ Tibetan monks
China has denied claims by the UN that some 300 monks from a Tibetan monastery may have been illegally detained over the past three months. Read More
Chinese oil workers ‘kidnapped by Colombia rebels’
Three Chinese oil workers and another foreigner have been kidnapped in southern Colombia, officials say. Read More
Same-sex marriage debated in French parliament
The French National Assembly debates same-sex marriage Thursday. The Socialists called for the debate and have promised to legalise gay marriage if they win….. More: http://www.english.rfi.fr/visiting-france/20110609-same-sex-marriage-debated-french-national-assembly
China: Ready to Receive Visit by Libya Opposition NTC Envoys
China on Thursday said it would welcome a visit by envoys of the Libyan opposition National Transitional Council (NTC) in the near future. “We are ready to receive a visit from NTC representatives in the near future,” Chen Xiaodong, director general of the West Asian and North African Affairs Department […]
SCO presidency passed to Kazakhstan
Astana. June 11. Kazakhstan Today – The head of state, Nursultan Nazarbayev, took part in the sessions of the Council of heads of SCO member states in the narrow and extended structures and made a speech today in Tashkent, the agency reports citing the president’s press service. According to the […]
France to pay Taiwan millions over wrongful frigate commissions
AFP – The French government said on Thursday it would have to pay Taiwan 460 million euros after defence giant Thales lost an appeal over its wrongful payment of commissions on a warship order. Prime Minister Francois Fillon’s office announced that the state would have to cover 72.5 percent […]
Russia to block UN Syria resolution
By RFI Russia said Thursday it was against a Franco-British resolution on Syria due to be put to the UN Security Council resolution later in the day. And it was joined by China in opposing a US-backed move to get the UN’s nuclear watchdog to condemn Bashar al-Assad’s regime. “The situation […]
KAZAKHSTAN: Ahmadi Muslim mosque closed, Protestants fined 100 times minimum monthly wage
Kazakhstan has fined an Ahmadi Muslim community – also denying it the use of its mosque and land – as well as imposed fines of 100 times the minimum monthly wage on two Protestants for religious activity without state permission, Forum 18 News Service has found. One official claimed to Forum 18 […]
An open letter to the Chief Justice, from a granddaughter
Did you know your grandfather Mr Chief Justice? I knew mine rather well for a man with 21 grandchildren. His name was Nasir Ahmed Chaudhry. He lived to be 90-years-old and was a retired Major-General. He was killed on May 28, 2010 in the attack on the Model Town Ahmadi […]
In India, Seeking Revolution in a Democracy
NEW DELHI — Swami Ramdev is a yoga instructor in saffron robes; he walks on wooden sandals and has an elastic body, an involuntary wink, flowing black hair and a full beard. He claims to have renounced worldly pleasures, but that excludes flying in private jets. He is at the helm […]
Uzbek-German cooperation developing
UzA, Iroda Umarova, 9 June 2011, 21:24 The intergovernmental negotiations on financial and technical cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Federal Republic of Germany were held in Tashkent on 9 June. The event was attended by the heads of ministries and departments related to foreign economic relations, trade, investment, economy, banking and […]
Night-sky photo contest winners named
The World At Night, or TWAN, recently announced the winners of their 2011 International Photo Contest. A full collection of photos can be viewed at http://twanight.org. This photograph by Stephane Vetter won first place in the Beauty of the Night Sky category; it displays the northern lights and the Milky Way […]
Why state religion not to be illegal – High Court asks govt to explain; appoints 12 amici curiae for opinion
The High Court yesterday asked the government to explain why the section of the eighth amendment to the constitution giving Islam the status of state religion should not be declared illegal. The court appointed 12 senior lawyers as amici curiae (friends of court) to give their opinions on the issue. […]
Bank Said No? Hedge Funds Fill a Void in Lending
Hedge fund managers have been called plenty of names. Now, they can add another: local banker. When Rentech, a clean energy business in Los Angeles, was rejected by its long-time banker last year, it asked a hedge fund for money instead. “You have to take what’s available at the time,” […]
Israel to Build Museum of Tolerance on Historic Muslim Cemetery
TEL AVIV, June 9, 2011 (WAFA) – The Planning and Construction Committee of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem Thursday gave approval to build the Museum of Tolerance on the site of an ancient historic Muslim cemetery in Mamilla, an area outside Jerusalem’s Old City west of the Jaffa Gate, according to Haaretz newspaper. The project is […]
Muslim populace to? grow by 35% in 20 yrs
The Muslim population in the Middle East and North Africa region is expected to grow by 37 per cent in the next 20 years, while the world’s Muslim population is expected to increase by about 35 per cent in the same period. Meanwhile, among the Muslim majority countries of the world, the […]
Christian Solidarity calls on Indonesia to protect pluralism and religious freedom
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today expressed grave concerns over increasing violations of religious freedom in Indonesia, and called on the Government of Indonesia to take action to protect religious minorities, curb radical Islamist activity, bring the perpetrators of religious hatred and violence to justice, and defend the country’s tradition of […]
After Banten attack, Ahmadi could face 6 years in prison
A prosecutor is asking that Deden Sujana, a member of Jamaah Ahmadiyah Indonesia and one of the victims in a recent attack on Ahmadiyah followers in Cikeusik, Banten, be sentenced to six years in prison. The attorney made the request during a trial at the Serang District Court in Banten […]
Eight soldiers killed in North Waziristan clash
MIRAMSHAH: Around 150 militants armed with rockets attacked a security checkpost in Pakistan’s Waziristan on Thursday, killing eight soldiers, intelligence officials said, as tensions rise in the border region. Twelve militants were killed in retaliatory firing by security forces. The attack came on the heels of stepped-up missile strikes by […]
10 things the Belief Blog learned in its first year
By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor (CNN) – In case you were wondering about all the balloons and cake: CNN’s Belief Blog has just marked its first birthday. After publishing 1,840 posts and sifting through 452,603 comments (OK, we may have missed one or two) the Belief Blog feels older than its 12 months would […]