International News

News from outside of Canada.

South African cardinal calls U.S. abortion rate ‘a genocide’ for blacks

July 5, 2016

A South African cardinal who recently rejected calls for the Catholic Church to apologize to gay people has said the abortion rate among black women in the U.S. is “a genocide” and added: “Isn’t this something we should be apologizing for?”

Bishops say 6.5 million Malawians need food aid

July 5, 2016

LILONGWE, Malawi – In Malawi, where 40 percent of the population needs food aid, the country's bishops have called for international help to avert a crisis.

Florida city council may halt opening prayers to stop Satanist’s invocation

July 4, 2016

The city council in Pensacola, Fla., will consider ending the traditional practice of inviting local clergy to deliver an opening prayer at meetings in order to thwart an invocation planned for July 14 by a representative of the Satanic Temple West Florida.

In Israel, followers of different religions help each other keep the faith

July 3, 2016

JERUSALEM – Stuart Levy, a nurse at a Jerusalem hospital, updates his ward’s work schedule several times a week, with staffers’ vacations, birthdays and more religious holidays than many people know exist.

Some Colombians see papal visit as chance to examine Church role in war

July 2, 2016

BOGOTA, Colombia – When Pope Francis visits Colombia early next year, his visit may become a celebration of peace in a country with the longest-running war in the Western Hemisphere.

‘Defusing Hate’: Holocaust museum publishes a handbook

July 2, 2016

WASHINGTON – Hoping to make the world safer, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has published a guidebook on countering dangerous speech, authored by a young American who helped quell intertribal conflict in Kenya during its 2013 elections.

Patriarch urges refugee repatriation as long-term solution in Middle East

July 1, 2016

NEW YORK – Poor, destitute refugees now comprise half the people living in Lebanon, according to Cardinal Bechara Rai, patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church.

Did same-sex marriage issue help sway regional elections in Mexico?

July 1, 2016

MEXICO CITY – Mexicans turned out in droves to oust the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party in June 5 regional elections. Exit polls showed voters citing crime and corruption for removing the party of increasingly unpopular President Enrique Pena Nieto in seven of the 12 states holding gubernatorial elections.

California bill would limit colleges’ religious exemptions

June 30, 2016

A bill wending its way through the California Legislature would limit religious colleges’ ability to claim an exemption from federal Title IX regulations that bar discrimination against LGBT students and faculty.

Duterte sworn in as Philippine president, vows to listen to the people

June 30, 2016

MANILA, Philippines – Rodrigo Duterte, a controversial town mayor dubbed "Dirty Harry" and "The Punisher" for his tough stance on crime, was sworn in as the 16th president of the Philippines June 30.