KeenWinBlog

India protests as US Commission on International Religious Freedom puts it on 'countries of particular concern' list. Protesters demonstrating against India's new citizenship law at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on January 29, 2020 A US government panel has called for India to be put on a religious freedom blacklist over a "drastic" downturn under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering a sharp rebuttal from New Delhi. In an annual report published on Tuesday, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said India should join the ranks of "countries of particular concern" that would be subject to sanctions if they do not improve their records. "In 2019, religious freedom conditions in India experienced a drastic turn downward, with religious minorities under increasing assault," the report said. The bipartisan panel recommends but does not set policy, and there is virtually no

Video shows police entering a room where about 20 Muslims were praying during coronavirus restrictions. Cele said an 'urgent investigation' was launched 'to establish the identity of the person behind such sacrilege'  South Africa's police minister Bheki Cele has apologised   for a "blasphemous" remark made by a policeman to praying Muslims as he was enforcing lockdown rules. The apology, issued on Sunday by the minister through a statement, came after the event was caught on video. The images, posted on social media and authenticated by the authorities, show police entering a room on Saturday where about 20 Muslims were praying, and ordering them to the ground. One of the police is heard saying: "Are you bigger than the president? Is Muhammad bigger than the president?" Cele said he "issued an apology to the Muslim community for the blasphemous remarks during the arrest" and an &

The Minneapolis Cedar-Riverside adhan is believed to be the first publicly broadcast call to prayer in a major US city. The Dar al-Hijrah mosque in the Cedar-Riverside neighbourhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota  From loudspeakers on the roof of a Minnesota mosque, the Islamic call to prayer echoed for the first time ever throughout a Minneapolis neighbourhood late on Thursday as the Muslim community there prepared to begin the holy month of Ramadan. It echoed again on Friday morning and will continue five times a day during the holy month. The simple, short call - known as the adhan - marked an historical moment for Minneapolis and major cities across the United States, community members said. While the adhan is commonly broadcast throughout the Middle East, North Africa and other places, for many Muslims in the US, it is only heard inside mosques or community centres. "There's definitely a lot of excitement," said Imam Abd

Pontiff calls for solidarity across the world to confront the 'epochal challenge' posed by the coranavirus pandemic. Pope Francis leads the Easter vigil mass in St Peter's Basilica with no public participation due to the coronavirus outbreak. Pope Francis has called for solidarity across the world to confront the "epochal challenge" posed by the coronavirus pandemic, in his traditional Easter address on Sunday. "The European Union is presently facing an epochal challenge, on which will depend not only its future but that of the whole world," said t he 83-year-old pontiff addressing the world's 1.3 billion Catholics from an empty Saint Paul's Cathedral at a ceremony attended by just a handful of priests. Pope Francis broke with centuries of tradition to livestream Easter Sunday mass to those suffering in the solitude of a coronavirus lockdown that forced the world's Catholics

As local governments prohibit large gatherings, churches turn to streaming services and drive-in movie theatres. Sister Susan Widdel praying during the broadcast and recording of Palm Sunday Mass at Our Lady''s Immaculate Heart Catholic Church for parishioners to watch online in Ankeny, Iowa At the holiest time of year for Christians, churches across the United States are wrestling with how to hold services amid the coronavirus outbreak, and in some cases, that has set up showdowns with local governments over restrictions that prohibit large gatherings. Many churches are offering parishioners livestreaming options so they can observe Good Friday and Easter on TVs, smartphones and computers. Others are sending worshipers to drive-in movie theatres for services. Governors in several states have deemed church an "essential service", allowing Easter worship to proceed even as public health officials warn that large gat

As mosques ban congregational prayers due to coronavirus, many set up live-streaming to broadcast prayers and sermons. Most mosques have completely shut their doors to worshippers and visitors as a measure to curb the spread of COVID19 For weeks now, mosques worldwide have taken a series of measures aimed at curbing the spread of the new COVID-19. As an increasing number of countries announced lockdowns, so did mosques, with many closing their door completely and others banning congregations and using their speakers to remind people to stay at home.  With the global death toll from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, exceeding 70,000 and more than 1.28 million cases of infection confirmed, many mosques are trying to keep their communities engaged by using live-streams and local stations to broadcast sermons and classes. Here's a look at how some of the world's largest mosques have adjusted their services in the ti