World

Obama, Putin agree on need to end Mideast carnage but clash over Assad role in Syria
US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin have failed to arrive at a common goal of letting the Syrian leader retain power after their meeting in New York, Monday, CNN said.

Pope Francis, President Obama far apart on issues of religious freedom and gay rights
Pope Francis and US President Barack Obama may have agreed on some important political issues but did not see eye to eye on issues of religious freedom and gay rights.

'American ISIS leader owned me,' says escaped 19-year-old Yazidi sex slave
A 19-year-old Yazidi woman, who reportedly escaped from being a "sex slave" for the Islamic State claims she was 'owned' by a young American, who is also one of ISIS's top brass.

Religious leaders speak highly of Donald Trump after meeting him in New York
Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump on Monday welcomed leaders from various religions in the skyscraper that he owns in New York City to pray with them, and to once again express his support for Israel and for Christians who are currently under attack.

Nearly 800,000 Catholics demand clarification on marriage and the family
Almost 800,000 people, including 202 Bishops, have signed a petition to Pope Francis, seeking clarification of Church teachings on marriage and the family.

US lawmakers grill Planned Parenthood chief; most Americans support funding
The president of Planned Parenthood was grilled by House Republicans during a hearing Tuesday regarding its federal funding as the issue of whether it should be defunded or not continues to dominate headlines.

Carly Fiorina proven right on foetus with beating heart and kicking legs being cut up
Republican presidential bet Carly Fiorina to watch a video showing "a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says, 'We have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.'"

Russia launches air strikes in Syria
Russia said it launched air strikes against Islamic State in Syria on Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin secured his parliament's unanimous backing to intervene to prop up the Kremlin's closest Middle East ally.

Woman sings 'Amazing Grace' before her execution as Georgia rejects Pope's appeal
The State of Georgia executed a woman on Wednesday despite efforts by Pope Francis to save her.

Pope Francis met privately with jailed US county clerk Kim Davis, law firm says
Pope Francis told Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis to "stay strong" as he met her and her husband in Washington, D.C., according to a press statement issued by the Liberty Counsel.

Charity Commission issues warning against funding terrorism
The Government has today issued a warning against charities that divert cash to fund terrorism and pledged to take action against trustees and charities who suspect this and fail to report it.

Richard Dawkins: 'Ignorant' Christians' are holding back science
American Christians are an "uncultured, ignorant almost majority" who are holding back scientific progress, prominent atheist Richard Dawkins said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal yesterday.

Egyptian Christian still held in prison for reporting attacks on churches
An Egyptian Christian remains in prison for reporting attacks on churches despite other journalists being pardoned.

11,000 civilians, soldiers executed by ISIS since last year, human rights group says
Some 11, 000 civilians and soldiers have been executed by members of the Islamic State since the establishment of a self-proclaimed caliphate last year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said.

Alice Cooper: 'TV evangelism is one of Satan's greatest weapons'
Alice Cooper, the rocker who returned to Christianity in the 1980s, has warned that the devil is "very smart" and that TV evangelism is one of his "greatest weapons," according to CNS.

Saeed Abedini's wife: Iranian leader's call for prisoner exchange 'absurd, insulting'
Iran President Hassan Rouhani's remarks that he is willing to free Pastor Saeed Abedini who is serving an 8 year sentence in one of Iran's toughest prisons simply by sharing his Christian faith in exchange for 19 Iranian prisoners, is "absurd'' and an ''insulting demand''.