News
Battles across Iraq's south in crackdown
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered Shi'ite militiamen to surrender on Wednesday as a crackdown on followers of powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr spread across southern towns leaving a ceasefire in tatters.
World Council of Churches backs dialogue with Islam
The World Council of Churches, which groups the main non-Catholic Christian churches, urged its members on Wednesday to open a dialogue with Muslim scholars seeking inter-faith cooperation to promote justice and peace.
Aid agencies urge world not to forget Somali crisis
Forty aid agencies urged the world on Wednesday to focus attention on Somalia's "catastrophic" humanitarian crisis where hundreds of thousands of people are suffering from war, drought and food shortages.
Heathrow T5 opens amid tight security
Heathrow Airport's giant new terminal five opens to passengers on Thursday, with security forces on high alert after threats of eco-protests.
Brown and Sarkozy to urge more market transparency
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Gordon Brown are expected to call for greater transparency in financial markets on Thursday in an effort to tackle the global credit crunch.
Government promotes dash for nuclear power
Britain needs urgently to replace its elderly power stations, and Business Minister John Hutton said on Wednesday the government was doing all it could to encourage firms to finance and build nuclear power plants.
Brown scraps plan for 'Air Force One'
The government has dropped plans for a long-haul private jet to be used exclusively by senior ministers and the royal family, arguing that an American-style "Air Force One" plane would be too costly.
Paisley seeks Irish converts with 'gospel bus'
Ian Paisley has hinted how he plans to fill his time after retiring as Northern Ireland's first minister - by taking a "gospel bus" south to mainly Catholic Ireland to win converts for his Protestant church.
Pregnant women urged to avoid alcohol
Women should drink no alcohol during the first three months of pregnancy, despite uncertainty over whether the odd drink could harm their baby, a government watchdog said on Wednesday.
Survey: evangelical churches avoid political endorsements
Presidential candidates may be keen to court evangelical leaders for endorsements, but a new survey has revealed that many evangelical churches are are reluctant to advise their congregations on which candidate to vote for.
Westminster Abbey service to mark 40 years since death of Martin Luther King
The Evangelical Alliance's Joel Edwards will preach at a special service at Westminster Abbey on Friday to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr.
Christians, Muslims must enhance common ground, acknowledge differences - WCC
Love for one's neighbour is "an essential and integral part of faith in God and love of God" for both Islam and Christianity, says a new commentary issued last week by the international ecumenical body World Council of Churches.
Teenager bailed over attack on priest
A teenager is due to appear in court Wednesday charged with a religiously motivated attack on a priest in London earlier in March.
Comic strip heroes take on al Qaeda
As European authorities grope for ways of combating the appeal of militant Islamism, one German security agency has hit on a novel idea: cartoon comics.
Teachers push for end to single-faith state schools
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) launched radical new proposals on Tuesday to make space for preachers, imams, and rabbis in state schools as an alternative to the creation of more single-faith schools.
Pope's baptism of Muslim not a hostile act - Vatican
Pope's baptism of Italian Muslim convert not a hostile act, says Vatican's newspaper.