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World news in brief

by
05 December 2014

AP

Colourful ensemble: traditionally dressed worshippers attend an opening ceremony to mark the 500th anniversary of the Roman Catholic St Mary's Cathedral, in Yangon, Burma

Colourful ensemble: traditionally dressed worshippers attend an opening ceremony to mark the 500th anniversary of the Roman Catholic St Mary's Cathe...

Petition against TTIP gains a million signatures

ALMOST one million people across Europe have signed a petition in the past two months opposing trade deals between the European Union and North America. Activists, including the World Development Movement, argue that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) would put the NHS and other public services at risk of privatisation, and give unprecedented power to international corporations (Comment, 3 October).

Italy cracks down on religious-art thefts

SECURITY is to be tightened at Italian churches to prevent the theft of religious art, The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday. New guidelines issued jointly by the cultural ministry, art-crime unit, and Italian Bishops' Conference refer to increased CCTV, reduced opening hours, and the replacement of original works with copies. It is estimated that 40 per cent of stolen goods trafficked out of Italy are pieces of religious art.

Priest saves Christian texts from IS forces

THOUSANDS of ancient Christian manuscripts are being held for safekeeping at an undisclosed location in Kurdistan after being removed from Qaraqosh, in northern Iraq, in August, hours before the town was seized by Islamic State fighters, the Kurdish Rudaw Media Network reported last month. The operation was masterminded by a Dominican priest, Fr Nageeb Michaeel, who founded the Digital Centre for Eastern Manuscripts at the Mar Behnam Syriac Catholic Monastery in Qaraqosh (News, 8 November 2013).

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