News
U.N. chief visits quake epicentre as toll leaps
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the epicentre of China's huge earthquake on Saturday, meeting victims and drawing an unspoken comparison with the sluggish aid efforts after a cyclone in neighbouring Myanmar.
Thousands march against South Africa violence
Thousands of people marched through South Africa's biggest city on Saturday, calling for an end to the violence that has killed at least 50 African migrants and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.
Colombia's top FARC commander dead
The top commander and founder of Colombia's FARC rebel force is dead after more than 40 years fighting against the state from jungle and mountain camps, a government source said on Saturday.
Serbia coalition talks hang on EU dilemma
Serbia's Socialist Party meets this weekend to decide whether to seal a coalition deal with the nationalists or switch allegiance to the liberals and help form a pro-Western government.
Indonesia targets poor with cash amid fuel protests
Indonesia's government jacked up fuel prices on Saturday, sparking protests, but some $1.5 billion of cash handouts intended to cushion the blow for poor families could turn out to be a savvy move, politically and economically.
G8 climate talks seek momentum on emission cuts
Environment ministers from rich countries and other major greenhouse gas emitters kicked off talks on ways to curb emissions and save species as the United States called for a global fund to develop clean technologies.
Knives 'stop and search' could antagonise youths
New laws that allow police to search people for knives, even if they have no grounds to suspect weapons are being carried, may cause hostility among youths, the Children's Commissioner for England said on Saturday.
Nazi church seeks future as bulwark against fascism
A rundown Protestant church built to glorify Hitler's Third Reich is hoping for a new lease of life as a memorial against Nazi oppression.
Belarus: 'We are reclaiming our history as a land of religious freedom'
Belarus has been renowned [for its] freedom of conscience for centuries. This is why religious freedom, which the current state authorities have been trying to restrict for the past decade, remains a key concern for Belarusian citizens.
China's Catholics visit shrine under watchful eyes
Bells clanged, children played and police kept watch as pilgrims clutching rosary beads flocked to one of China's most revered Catholic shrines on Saturday, the day Pope Benedict XVI designated World Day of Prayer for China.
Burma rulers denying aid to Christians
Persecution watchdog Release International has launched an urgent appeal to help Burma's Christians reach out to survivors of Cyclone Nargis within their community amid reports that the military regime is withholding aid from Christians.
Premier boosts church engagement with media
Premier Christian Media are to launch a series of media training seminars tailored for church leaders and members of the Christian community.
Hillsong plants new church in Cape Town
Hillsong Church, known affectionately as the church that never sleeps, and also the bedrock from which the well known music ministry Hillsong and Hillsong United springs, is in the process of planting a brand new church in the city of Cape Town.
Congregational confirms arrival of new board members
Bradford-based national church and home insurance company Congregational & General has announced the appointment of two new board members - Judith Cork and Martin Clarke.
Tackling the elephant in the room: doctrine
Whilst some church leaders like to avoid doctrine, pastor Mark Driscoll of US mega-church Mars Hill believes in tackling it head on, even if that means not everyone joins his church.
'No time to lose' after Burma deal for storm aid
Disaster relief officials said there was "no time to lose" to help Burma's cyclone survivors after the secretive military government promised the United Nations it would allow in more aid workers.