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World news in brief

by
27 June 2014

ap

Clash: riot police surround the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, an Orthodox Christian monastery, where radical masked activists gather to protest against separatists, who congregate in the area 

Clash: riot police surround the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, an Orthodox Christian monastery, where radical masked activists gather to protest against separ...

Diocese of Peshawar sets up relief camp

THE diocese of Peshawar is appealing for funds to run a new relief camp for Christians displaced by the conflict between the Pakistani Army and the Taliban. On 15 June, the government launched a full-scale assault on Islamist insurgents in North Waziristan, after a deadly attack on Karachi airport, claimed by the Taliban. The diocese has set up a camp in Pannell High School, Bannu, for Christians fleeing the violence.
 

New archbishop for ACNA

THE Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) has elected as its next Archbishop the current Bishop of the diocese of the South, the Rt Revd Foley Beach. He was selected in a secret vote by the Church's House of Bishops on Sunday. He served as a priest in the diocese of Atlanta in the Episcopal Church of the United States before leaving the Episcopal Church after the consecration of the Rt Revd Gene Robinson, who was in a non-celibate gay partnership, as Bishop of New Hampshire.
 

Malaysian Christians ordered not to say 'Allah'

A COURT in Malaysia has ruled that Christians and other non-Muslims cannot use the word "Allah", upholding a government ban established five years ago. The Federal Court in Putrajaya rejected an appeal by the Roman Catholic Church on Monday. The word "Allah" is often used by Christians speaking Malaysian to refer to God. The controversy began in 2007 when the government threatened to revoke the publishing licence of the RC newspaper The Herald for using 'Allah'. Hundreds of Malaysian Bibles were seized by the authorities earlier this year because they used the word.
 

Trade union stands in solidarity with Burmese monks

UNITE, Britain's largest trade union, is calling for the Burmese authorities to drop "baseless" charges against a London-based Buddhist monk, and his colleague. The Ven. U Uttara, the Buddhist chaplain at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, and another monk, U Panasara, were bailed in Rangoon last week, on charges of religious defamation of the law and "malicious insulting religious belief". If convicted, they face two years in prison. Mr Uttara was on a career break in Burma at the request of Aung Sang Suu Kyi. He was looking after a monastery that the Burmese government claims belongs to government-backed monks.
 

Churches publish peace plan for Korean countries

MORE visits between churches in North and South Korea are part of a plan for peace on the Korean peninsula, published by church leaders from 34 countries, including the two nations, on Thursday last week. The International Consultation on Justice, Peace and Reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula was sponsored by the World Council of Churches.

 

 

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