Live updates on faith, culture, politics, and humanitarian issues impacting Christians across the globe.
Assad and Saddam Forging Anti-Israel Alliance
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
While recent reports of a sudden lapse in the health of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein may be unfounded, Iraq's decades of ailing relations with Syria appear on the mend under the new boss in Damascus, Bashar al-Assad.
Barak, Sharon Tangle in New Election Ads
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
The special Israeli election for prime minister heated up on Tuesday when local air waves were opened to a steady diet of campaign ads for the Labor and Likud candidates, with both parties depicting the opponent as dangerous.
Saddam Defiant, Threatening on Gulf War Anniversary
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Promoting Islamic apocalyptic themes, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein marked the Gulf War's 10th anniversary on Wednesday by declaring the conflict a glorious moment in Iraqi history while ignoring the economic plight his brutal regime has imposed on his…
Lots of Rumors on the Campaign Trail
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
The unofficial three-way race for prime minister is also a three-way rumor mill, as conspiracy charges swirled in recent days between the rival camps of Labor nominee Ehud Barak, Likud's Ariel Sharon and virtual candidate Shimon Peres.
Sharon More Popular With the Older Crowd
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
The campaign of front-runner Ariel Sharon hit a few bumps in Israeli high schools in recent days, but among the country's adult electorate, he still looks on course to survive his opponents scare tactics and complete a remarkable…
Israel Supreme Court Refuses to Pull Plug on Taba Talks
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
In a decision reflecting its left-of-center political bent, Israel's Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a series of five petitions asking that resigned Prime Minister Ehud Barak be barred from continuing fateful peace negotiations with the Palestinians in Taba…
Britain Holds First Holocaust Day
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
In a welcome development, the United Kingdom will hold its first-ever Holocaust Memorial Day on Saturday, the 56th anniversary of the Allied liberation of Auschwitz, but the event is not without controversy.
Barak Does One More About-Face Before Election
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Following the very sort of zig-zag pattern that has brought him into such disfavor with Israeli voters, Prime Minister Ehud Barak has reversed course and said he is now open to a possible meeting with PLO chief Yasser…
Barak Campaign Determined to Smear Sharon
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Trailing badly going into the final week of the election, the campaign of incumbent Prime Minister Ehud Barak stooped to new lows, as activists had to be restrained on Tuesday from distributing fake call-up orders for IDF duty…
Election Winds Down With Sharon in Command
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
In the final days of the snap Israeli election for prime minister, incumbent Ehud Barak courted the Arab and Russian immigrant blocs, but had little chance of catching the surging Likud candidate Ariel Sharon, especially after the ultra-Orthodox…
Sharon Wallops Barak
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Though widely expected, Likud candidate Ariel Sharon's lopsided victory in Tuesday's special election for prime minister was so potent, it drove incumbent Ehud Barak into political retirement and has left the Labor party in turmoil.
Talks on Unity Coalition at Critical Stage
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon is pressing on with his bid to persuade vanquished Israeli leader Ehud Barak and the Labor party to join a national unity government, but differences still remain over the coalition’s policy guidelines and the…
Arafat’s Corruption Costing His People
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
While Western envoys are pressing Israel to help alleviate raging Palestinian poverty caused by their own violent uprising, Arab states are withholding the bulk of $1 billion pledged towards the renewed intifada because they do not trust PLO…
Arab States Dictate Peace Terms to Sharon
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Arab foreign ministers met in Cairo over the weekend and demanded that Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon stick to the land-for-peace script laid out in UN resolutions and the Madrid and Oslo peace talks or else.
Palestinians Test Sharon with New Spiral of Violence
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Palestinian rioters and terrorists escalated the renewed intifada in recent days throughout Gaza and Judea/Samaria, including Jerusalem, in a move meant to “test†Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon even before he formally assumes office.
Sharon Closing In On National Unity Government
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Likud leader Ariel Sharon's decisive win in last week's election and the subsequent escalation in Palestinian violence have spurred calls for Labor to hurry up and join a unity coalition.
Europe, US Parting Ways Over Peace Process
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
In what appears to be a growing divide between US and European approaches to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the European Union this week expressed support for the Palestinian position that Israeli concessions made since the Camp David talks should…
Plot Uncovered For Sarin Gas Attack in London Subways
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2001
Britain's security services have discovered a plot by an unidentified "Middle East group" to perpetrate a terrorist attack on London's Underground rail network using the highly lethal sarin gas.
Nigerian Churches will Challenge Islamic Law
Posted on Sunday, August 26, 2001
LAGOS, Nigeria (Compass) -- Disturbed by some northern Nigeria states' widespread declaration that they are Islamic states and have adopted Islam as the state religion, Nigerian Christian churches have resolved to go to court to challenge what they…
New Human Rights Council in Peru Tackles Plight of Innocents
Posted on Sunday, August 26, 2001
COCHABAMBA, Bolivia (Compass) -- In late June, the government of Peru initiated a special task force, the National Human Rights Council, which is charged with freeing persons wrongfully imprisoned as terrorists.
