International News

News from outside of Canada.

Francis’ South Korean trip still bearing fruit, says Korean Bishop

July 20, 2015

OTTAWA - A year later, Pope Francis' visit to South Korea continues to bear fruit in the Asian nation, said Daejeon Bishop Lazzaro You.

Christians grow weary over rising threat of kidnapping in Syria, Iraq

July 19, 2015

AMMAN, Jordan - Arab Christians are viewing with growing concern and revulsion an uptick in kidnappings of both their clergy and civilians as violence worsens in Syria and Iraq.

Ukrainian priest says his emotional captivity was worse than physical

July 19, 2015

LVIV, Ukraine - Ukrainian Catholic Father Tykhon Kulbaka was headed to the chapel in the room rented by the local Catholic community. En route, he stopped at a grocery store, where four men grabbed him, blindfolded him and made him breathe chloroform.

Planned Parenthood video 'horrifying, heartbreaking,' says U.S. congresswoman

July 19, 2015

WASHINGTON - A video of a Planned Parenthood physician describing her procedures for keeping fetal organs intact during an abortion is "horrifying and heartbreaking," said U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Missouri.

Prayers, sympathy shared after Tennessee shootings

July 19, 2015

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - An outpouring of sympathy and prayer washed over Tennessee for the victims of the July 16 shootings that left four Marines and the shooter dead.

Pope declares Ukrainian church leader 'venerable'

July 17, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has signed a decree declaring "venerable" Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, who led the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the tumultuous period of both world wars and at the beginning of Soviet occupation.

The shocking photos many hope will inspire stronger US action in Syria

July 16, 2015

WASHINGTON - A sign at the entrance to the exhibit warns of the shocking nature of the images beyond — photos smuggled out of Syria that show emaciated and grotesquely mutilated victims of dictator Bashar Assad’s prisons and torture chambers.

'Hands off my church' petition plays on French worries about Islam

July 15, 2015

PARIS - More than 40,000 French have signed a rousing “Hands off my church” petition in recent days denouncing a Muslim leader’s casual remark that some of France’s many empty or underused churches could be turned into much-needed mosques.

Video of Planned Parenthood doctor prompts calls for investigation

July 15, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO - A video released July 14 appears to show a top Planned Parenthood official discussing the sale of parts of aborted babies for research, including discussing ways the abortion procedure can be altered to preserve specifically requested body parts.

Success rate in use of adult stem cells 'staggering,' says researcher

July 15, 2015

Adult stem cells, easily harvested from human bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and fat tissue, have a successful track record in treatments for more than 90 medical conditions and diseases, including sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma cancer and damaged heart tissue.