The pope on Sunday became the first pontiff to visit the Arabian Peninsula, on a trip intended to improve relations with the Muslim world and bolster the Mideast’s persecuted Christian minority.
Tag: Muslims and Islam
Why Pope Francis’ Historic Visit to the Gulf Matters
The visit is a rare note of hope for the Christians of the Middle East, who have been persecuted, killed or forced to flee in recent decades.
Tehran Dispatch: More Bark Than Bite in Iran’s Ban on Walking Dogs
Tehranians, accustomed to periodic crackdowns by their Islamic guardians, are not taking the decree all that seriously. Nor, it seems, are the police.
Feature: How Iran’s Greatest Director Makes Art of Moral Ambiguity
Asghar Farhadi’s films fill theaters in a country where taking sides can be dangerous. They’ve also captivated Hollywood.
Philippines Cathedral Bombing Kills 20
Scores more were wounded in twin blasts in a predominantly Muslim area of the southern Philippines where the government has been fighting Islamist separatists.
Christian Politician in Indonesia Is Freed After Blasphemy Prison Term
After serving his sentence for blasphemy against Islam, a former Jakarta governor finds that religion still roils Indonesian politics.
Two Speeches, a Decade Apart: How Pompeo Departed From Obama
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s Middle East speech contrasted starkly with President Obama’s in 2009. A look at the major points of contention.
Is Stunning an Animal Before Slaughter More Humane? Some Religious Leaders Say No
Two regions of Belgium are banning kosher and halal slaughter, arguing that not using stunning is cruel. But Jewish and Muslim leaders say their traditions minimize an animal’s suffering.
Belgium Bans Ritual Animal Slaughter. Some See a Humane Move, Others Prejudice.
Animal rights groups praised the new law banning halal and kosher practices, but Muslims and Jews see it as part of a right-wing nationalist agenda.
China Targets Prominent Uighur Intellectuals to Erase an Ethnic Identity
The mass detention of Uighur artists, journalists and scholars has become an alarming symbol of the Communist Party’s most intense social-engineering drive in decades.