RELIGION May 23, 2017 Israeli Cabinet committee pushes bill that downgrades Arabic An Israeli Cabinet committee is pushing forward a bill that downgrades Arabic as an official language of the country.
Europe May 23, 2017 World's oldest standing army has 40 new Swiss Guards The world's oldest standing army has 40 new members after a Vatican Swiss Guard swearing-in ceremony.
RELIGION May 23, 2017 Decapitated bodies show up in Egyptian Sinai border town Egyptian security officials and witnesses say the decapitated bodies of a father and his two sons recently kidnapped by Islamic militants have been found on the street in the northern Sinai town of Rafah.
RELIGION May 23, 2017 Hamas says Ismail Haniyeh chosen as Islamic group's leader Hamas is confirming that its former Gaza prime minister Ismail Haniyeh has been chosen as the Islamic militant group's top leader.
RELIGION May 23, 2017 Prosecution defends evidence in final day of polygamy trial The trial of two Canadian fundamentalist church leaders charged with polygamy wrapped up Friday with the prosecution arguing the bulk of marriage and personal records entered as evidence corroborate each other.
RELIGION May 23, 2017 Argentina: Nun arrested for allegedly abusing deaf children A Roman Catholic nun from Japan has been arrested and charged on suspicion of helping priests sexually abuse children at a school for youths with hearing disabilities in Argentina, authorities said.
RELIGION May 23, 2017 Egypt IS leader vows to escalate attacks on Christians The leader of the Islamic State affiliate in Egypt has vowed to escalate attacks against Christians, urging Muslims to steer clear of Christian gatherings and western embassies as they are targets of their group's militants.
CONFLICTS May 23, 2017 Residents say South Sudan troops remove 5,000 from church South Sudan security forces have forcibly removed about 5,000 civilians who had been sheltering in a church from fighting in the country's civil war, residents and church officials said Friday.
Europe May 23, 2017 Portuguese soccer stadium to be renamed for visiting pontiff Portuguese soccer club Fatima is renaming its stadium for Pope Francis, who is due to visit the famous shrine in the town next week.
RELIGION May 23, 2017 Indonesia hard-liners call for jailing of Christian governor Thousands of conservative Muslims took to the streets of the Indonesian capital to call for the jailing of its minority Christian governor who is on trial on charges of blaspheming the Quran.