News/International

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., announces his Freedom of Religion Act at the House Triangle in Washington May 11. The bill would make it illegal to make religion a basis for an individual's entry into the U.S.

Bill would prohibit making religion basis for anyone to enter U.S.

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WASHINGTON – Talk in the U.S. presidential campaign about restricting entry of Muslims into the United States has some religious leaders concerned that the country's religious liberty heritage is under threat.

Demonstrators take part in a protest for gay rights in late February outside Italy's Milan Cathedral. The Italian government's approval of a controversial bill that grants legal recognition to non-married heterosexual and homosexual couples is a defeat for democracy and family life, an Italian bishop said.

Italy's civil unions bill a defeat for family, democracy, bishop says

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ROME – The Italian government's approval of a controversial bill that grants legal recognition to non-married heterosexual and homosexual couples is a defeat for democracy and family life, an Italian bishop said.

Philippine presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte attends an April 27 news conference in Manila. Duterte was elected president May 9.

Philippine priest says Duterte's win is reminder 'people want change'

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MANILA, Philippines – Philippines President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's win in May 9 national elections was "a strong reminder that people want change," said Fr. Anton Pascual, president of Radio Veritas, the country's largest Catholic radio network.

Women look at a new monthly women's insert called "Women-Church-World" in the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano newspaper this May 30, 2012, file photo. Pope Francis said he would look into New Testament deaconesses.

Pope to set up commission to study women deacons

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VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis told the heads of women's religious orders from around the world that he would set up a commission to study the New Testament deaconesses and he also insisted more can and should be done to involve lay and consecrated women in church decision-making at every level.

Somali refugees sit inside a tent in 2011 at the Ifo Extension refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya, across the border from Somalia. Jesuit Refugee Service has urged Kenya to reconsider its plans to close camps that host hundreds of thousands of Somali and South Sudanese refugees.

Jesuit Refugee Service urging Kenya to reconsider closing refugee camps

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NAIROBI, Kenya – Jesuit Refugee Service has urged Kenya to reconsider its plans to close camps that host hundreds of thousands of Somali and South Sudanese refugees.

Obianuju Ekeocha, Nigerian biomedical scientist and founder of Culture of Life Africa, addressed a breakfast of parliamentarians May 10, urging them not to impose abortion on African nations.

Nigerian scientist to MPs: Bringing abortion to Africa reeks of 'cultural imperialism'

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OTTAWA – Canadian plans to export abortion to Africa “reeks of colonialization and it reeks of cultural imperialism,” a Nigerian scientist told a gathering of MPs and senators.

A Brazilian mine is seen in this 2008 file photo. More than 160 Latin American groups are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to heed the call of a letter they signed calling for mining justice in their region.

PM urged to hold Canadian mining companies to account for abuses

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OTTAWA – The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to heed a letter from more than 160 Latin American organizations that has raised concerns about the operations of Canadian mining companies abroad.

Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte talks to reporters May 9 in Davao City.

Get up, be faithful to God, Philippine bishops' head says after election

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MANILA, Philippines – The head of the Philippine bishops' conference said it was time to "get up" and be faithful to God, as millions of Filipinos elected Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte president.

A Christian family who fled from violence in Mosul, Iraq, sit in the room of a church in 2014 in Amman, Jordan. The Vatican is funding a job-creation program for Iraqi refugees in Jordan, a country that is hosting close to 1.5 million refugees, but is struggling to provide work for them.

Vatican funds job-creation project for refugees in Jordan

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican is funding a job-creation program for Iraqi refugees in Jordan, a country that is hosting close to 1.5 million refugees, but is struggling to provide work for them.

A jobs discrimination poster campaign poster can be seen in the metro in France.

French government battles intolerance with new public relations campaign

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PARIS – On a sunny spring morning, an 18-year-old college student wrapped a scarf around her head to feel what it would be like to wear a veil.

Children playing at a mosque in Damascus.

Christian, Muslim leaders say religion can 'humanize' society

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VATICAN CITY – Catholic and Muslim leaders meeting in Rome said religion can humanize and civilize communities when followers actually adhere to their faith's teachings about loving God and neighbor.

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