#CHINA: New Laws Restrict Religions To Five Approved Groups

[world politics news]

 

Human rights watchdogs are worried that the Chinese communist regime is ramping up its crackdown on Christians throughout the communist country. 

The new laws, titled the Measures on the Management of Religious Clergy, 

The laws are an attempt to tighten control of China’s five sanctioned religious groups which include the Buddhist Association of China, the Chinese Taoist Association, the Islamic Association of China, the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

All other religious activity outside of those bodies will now be banned and is punishable by the state.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SCOTLAND: Legislation Would Make It Illegal To Spank A Child; Church Of Scotland Lends Support

[world politics news]

The Church of Scotland is getting behind legislation to make hitting a child as a form of punishment illegal. The Children Equal Protection from Assault Bill, introduced by Scottish Green Member of Scottish Parliament John Finnie, would create a law to abolish the defense of "reasonable chastisement of a child."

Under current legislation, a person can claim that the physical punishment of a child is justifiable as a parental right or as a right of having charge or care of the child. However, the court does also consider a number of factors such as the nature of the action and duration. The Church of Scotland, and a number of other organisations wrote submissions to parliament's Equality and Human Rights Committee in support of the bill.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CUBA: Same-Sex Marriage Language Dropped From Constitutional Revision After Evangelical's Objections

[world politics news]

Cuba's National Assembly has removed language opening the way to the legalization of same-sex marriage from the draft of the country's new constitution to "respect all opinions." The move comes despite the pledge by President Miguel Diaz-Canel to "eliminate all kinds of discrimination from society."

A parliamentary commission responsible for drafting the constitution proposed to omit proposed language defining marriage as the union of "two people ... with absolutely equal rights and obligations." Evangelical churches in the country protested the proposed change and launched a campaign against the new wording. The new constitution will be submitted to a referendum in February next year.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Angry Church Leaders Close Shrine Of The Holy Sepulchre In Jerusalem

[world politics news]

Stepping up protest against Israel, angry church leaders closed the Church of The Holy Sepulchre, a
Christian holy site in Jerusalem. They were upset about a Knesset bill restricting sales of church land and Jerusalem's move to charge millions of shekels in disputed back taxes.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#KENYA: Clerics, Pols, Urge Pres. Kenyatta: Don't Reopen 2007 Election Violence Wounds

[world politics news]

Clerics and opposition party politicians have called on Pres. Uhuru Kenyatta not to reopen old wounds following his statement he made linking opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to election violence in 2007, in which Odinga was a presidential candidate. Bishops Mwai Abiero of the Anglican Church of Kenya and Washington Ogonyo Ngede said Odinga was not involved in the violence.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Pictured: Anglican Bishop Mwai Abiero of Maseno South diocese at St Stephen's Cathedral in Kisumu

#EGYPT: Law Governing Rebuilding Churches Finally Passed By Parliament

[world politics news]

Egypt's parliament has approved a long-awaited law that governs building and renovating churches, an issue that has led in the past to attacks on members the country's Christian minority by Muslim militants.

#EGYPT: Coptic Christian MPs Oppose Church Reconstruction Bill

[world politics news]

Coptic Christians in Egypt are expressing concern about a bill in parliament meant to free the construction of churches from red tape. MPs attack the government bill for giving approval of any permits for construction projects to provincial governors.

#GERMANY: Alternative For Germany Pty Ldr Slams Catholic Bishop For Siding With Merkel On Migrants

[world politics news]

Alternative for Germany leader Frauke Petry has called Catholic bishops "dishonest" for their involvement in refugee politics. "I think the Church has a dishonest position on refugee policy," Petry said in response to Cardinal Reinhard Marx's accusation that she was dividing society. "It's the Church that is tearing cracks [in society] by criticizing us as inhumane as a political party and rejecting speaking with us." The Cardinal has seemingly backed Chancellor Angela Merkel's refugee policies.

#ISRAEL: Attny Gen. Rules Gov't Must Compensate Catholic Church After Jewish Extremists Torch Historic Galilean Church

[world politics news]

Israel's attorney general has ruled that the Catholic Church should be compensated for the arson attack on the ancient Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, reversing an earlier government ruling. Extremist West Bank Jewish Settlers are standing trial for the attack on the 4th Century church, which was rebuilt in the 20th Century.