World News

Margaret Thatcher's funeral: Bishop of London's sermon in full

The following is the sermon given by the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, at the funeral of Baroness Thatcher. After the storm of a life lived in the heat of political controversy, there is a great calm.

London Met University Students Face Deportation

About 2,600 students could be kicked out of the UK after the Government stripped a university of its right to admit foreigners. London Metropolitan University has had its Highly Trusted Status (HTS) for sponsoring international students revoked and will no longer be allowed to authorise visas.

London 2012 Paralympics: Amazement is guaranteed.

Playing 'murderball’ has transformed my view of the Paralympics. Here’s something I discovered recently: it is not easy controlling a wheelchair. Certainly not the kind used in wheelchair rugby, which look as if they have been knocked up out of an old supermarket trolley and a couple of spare dustbin lids.

Paralympic flames lit on mountain tops

As the flames that will eventually ignite the Paralympic torch are lit around the UK, the daughter of the games' founder says her father's ambitions were finally realised at London 2012.

The God particle: Believing and seeing

Regarding the term “God’s particle”, Fr. Gionti says it refers to the fact scientists believed it was there but had never actually seen it. As a priest and scientist he says : “If you assume faith and believe in a good God who created the Universe you do not see any conflict between science and religion”.

Child soldier recruitment up, says UN

The involvement and association of children in armed conflicts in the Philippines continues to increase, the UN said Wednesday.“These children are not only casualties of explosions, shootings, and attacks but are also victims of kidnapping, killing, and maiming.” 

Requiem for the lost souls of the Titanic

Syrian Orthodox Church has told that 90 per cent of Christians have been expelled from Homs

Almost the entire Christian population of the Syrian city of Homs has fled violence and persecution, according to Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. The mass exodus of 50,000 or more people to villages and towns around the city comes amid reports that the homes of Christians in Homs have been attacked and seized by militants.

Large British delegation to meet the Pope.

One of the biggest ever British government delegations is to visit the Vatican and meet the Pope next week. The visit, which will be led by Baroness Warsi, Cabinet Minister without Portfolio, follows the success of Benedict XVI's visit to the UK in Sept 2010  They will be accompanied by The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster.

Queen's Diamond Jubilee message in full

 In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign

Benefit cap - A tale of two moralities

The opponents to Benefit Cap, led by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, argued that it was immoral to punish families simply because they had more children. Losing a job was bad enough but then losing your home was unacceptable. 

Speak up for Christianity

Speak up for Christianity, Cameron tells Archbishop: PM calls on the Church to defend 'values and moral code' of the Bible.Mr Cameron declared Britain ‘a Christian country’ and said politicians and churchmen should not be afraid to say so. 

Where child sacrifice is a business

Protesters bed down at cathedral

 Protesters are preparing to spend their second night camped out in the grounds of St Paul's Cathedral as part of an anti-capitalist demonstration in London. The Reverend Dr Giles Fraser, Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, said: "People have a right to protest and it's been very good natured. Church went down well this morning. There were no problems. We had no problems getting people in. People were very helpful."

UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women Announces USD 17.1 Million in Grants to Groundbreaking Efforts to Protect Women and Girls

“Violence against women is a human rights and public health emergency,” Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, said of the 15th batch of annual grants from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) which awarded $17.1 million for 22 initiatives.

Convictions for sex offences on children up 60% in six years

 The number of people convicted of sex offences on children aged under 16 in England and Wales has increased by nearly 60% in six years. A Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Justice found that in 2005, 1,363 people were convicted while in 2010, it was 2,135.The rise has been attributed to better detection and raised awareness 

Horn of Africa: UN steps up efforts to bring urgent relief to millions in need

 The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today it will start airlifts within days to get vital supplies into Somalia, which is bearing the brunt of the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa, and is preparing to open up a number of new land and air routes to bring urgent relief to millions in need. 

NIGERIA: Violence threatens Christians

July 15, 2011 (CISA) –Militant Islamist Group bombed a protestant church where members were meeting after service on July 10 in Suleja, in Nigeria’s Niger Estate. According to Vatican Radio, there has been an upsurge of violence this week in Nigeria against Christian churches believed to be perpetrated by a fundamentalist Islamic Group known as Boko Haram.

Japan’s bishops defy nuclear threat and gather in devastated zone

JAPANESE bishops met in Sendai, the diocese most affected by last Friday's earthquake and tsunami, on Wednesday this week, as thousands fled the area in fear of nuclear explosions from the nearby Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Catholic critic of blasphemy law is shot dead in Pakistan

Pakistan’s leading Catholic politician has been murdered in the capital Islamabad. Minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti had received numerous death threats after calling for changes to the country’s controversial blasphemy law. The blasphemy law carries a death sentence for anyone who insults Islam, and critics say it has been used to persecute minority faiths.