Articles
In a move to prevent the abuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, the government has drafted a bill attempting to reduce false accusations. A mandatory death sentence for the crime of ‘defiling the name’ of Muhammad makes…
Vatican State: Pope speaks out on climate change
25 Jun 2015
On 18 June Pope Francis called for a radical transformation of politics, economics and individual lifestyles to confront environmental degradation and climate change, criticising consumerism and irresponsible development and calling for swift and unified global action.…
Lebanon: Prayer for government, help to refugees
25 Jun 2015
As Muslims fast and pray during Ramadan, we pray for them. ‘The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon.’ Christians in Lebanon are asking us to pray Psalm…
Pakistan: Searing heatwave
25 Jun 2015
224 people are believed to have died so far during Pakistan's heatwave in southern Sindh province (nearly 1,700 people died in a similar heatwave in India last month). Most of the deaths have been in Karachi,…
Anti-gay marriage forces inside the Abbott government are circulating election polling surveys claiming that at least three Senate seats, and potentially five, would be at risk if MPs were allowed a conscience vote and that the…
Azerbaijan: Central Asia hosts European Games
24 Jun 2015
In a somewhat geographically and culturally challenging development, the first-ever European Games began on 13 June in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is usually identified as a Central Asian country, but the European Union considers…