1. Churches are attacked in Pakistan
Suicide bombings outside two churches in Lahore killed 14 people and wounded nearly 80 others during Sunday services in attacks claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban. They occurred minutes apart in a majority Christian suburb of the city in the east of Pakistan. Police said they targeted two churches, one Catholic and one Protestant, that are very close to each other. Enraged by the failure of the government to protect them, Christian demonstrators lynched two suspects. Riots saw further deaths on Monday. The incident is a bitter reminder of previous attacks on Christians and indicates the precarious position of Christians in Pakistan. The attacks also reinforce the perception that Pakistan is not safe for religious minorities and that the government is unable or unwilling to make it so.
2. Islamic State kills tourists at a museum in Tunis
Gunmen killed 21 people in an attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunis, most of them tourists from a cruise ship which had docked at the city. Japanese, Italian and Spanish visitors were among the dead, as well as a British woman, Sally Adey. Arrests have been made, but Islamic State says that this is only the beginning of its assault on Tunisian targets. Whether this is true remains to be seen since it is over-extended in neighbouring Libya. Tunisia was where the Arab Spring began and is the movement's only real democratic success story. But the North African country is heavily reliant on tourism, which will take a hit because of the Bardo attack; and poverty sets up huge social stresses which can lead to political instability.
3. Benjamin Netanyahu was re-elected
The shock result in Israel's election saw the electorate swing behind the controversial prime minister, after he promised that there would be no Palestinian state and that there would be more settlements on occupied land. The bitterly fought campaign saw him accused of racism and scaremongering, with even the US warning that Israel could no longer count on its unconditional support at the UN. Many international observers regard the result with dismay. Does Netanyahu have any realistic long-term vision for Israel? The policy of containing the Palestinians has 'worked' for 48 years but it won't for much longer, if only because of the higher Palestinian birth-rate; by 2025 Jews will be a minority in Israel-Palestine.
4. Deadly cyclone hits Vanuatu
Cyclone Pam swept through the Pacific and wreaked havoc on the impoverished archipelago nation. The initial death toll was low, but the winds of more than 185 mph destroyed buildings, bridges and other infrastructure. Some islands have no water or food. On Tanna, an aid worker said, "Virtually every building has been flattened." The first aid workers reached Vanuatu on Sunday, but the relief task has been hampered by distance and inaccessibility. The larger question is how the country is to be rebuilt; it will require massive amounts of aid. Climate change campaigners have warned that this sort of event will become more frequent with changing weather patterns.
5. A nun was raped in India
A 71-year-old nun was raped at a convent school in India on Saturday. A group of six intruders broke into the school in the early hours, vandalising the chapel and stealing around £7,500. They tied up and gagged a security guard, before entering a room in which two nuns were sleeping. The victim tried to stop them attacking her fellow sister, and was then raped herself. According to The Times of India the woman, who is has now been released from hospital, has prayed that those who attacked her may be forgiven. The incident has been cited as an example of the prevalence of India's rape culture, for which it has been widely condemned, and is also seen as part of a broader problem of attacks on religious minorities. Responses to the latter charge have drawn deeply unsavoury counter-blasts from Hindu nationalists. India appears more than ever to be struggling with its religious diversity.
6. A London vicar has been told not to host Muslim prayer services
A controversial London vicar has been slapped down by his bishop after hosting a Muslim prayer service at his church. Canon Giles Goddard allowed St John's, Waterloo to be used for an Inclusive Mosque event ealier this month, but was subsequently accused of breaching canon law. Following an investigation by the Bishop of Kingston, a spokesman for the Southwark diocese said: "It is quite clear that Islamic prayer should not take place in a consecrated building." Goddard believed he was simply being hospitable, but his gesture, however well-meant, had legal and theological implications of which he seems to have been blissfully unaware.
A good week for:
Fr Pierre 'Jalapeno' Pepper, who took on a challenger in a charity boxing match and wiped the floor with him, all in a spirit of Christian loving-kindness.
A bad week for:
Megachurch pastor Creflo Dollar, who had to cancel a $65 million appeal for cash to buy a private jet after a social media backlash.
The story you might not have read but ought to know about:
One of Malaysia's opposition parties is calling for the adoption of sharia law, complete with crucifixions and impalings.
And one for pure enjoyment:
Martin Saunders has found 10 great Christian T-shirts, with puns that are so bad they're good, including "Need an Ark? I Noah Guy!".
