Angela Doland (AP, July 6, 2010)
Paris, France - France’s hotly debated bill to ban burqa-style Islamic veils in public is going before parliament, with President Nicolas Sarkozy’s government casting the measure as a way to promote equality between the sexes and protect oppressed women.
The bill being debated Tuesday is widely expected to become law, despite the concerns of many French Muslims, who fear it will stigmatize them.
Sarah Netter ("ABC News," July 6, 2010)
Los Angeles, USA - One-time Charles Manson disciple and convicted murderer Leslie Van Houten will go before a California parole board for the 17th time today, backed by supporters who say she no longer deserves to be behind bars.
("BBC," July 6, 2010)
Beirut, Lebanon - Thousands of people in Beirut are attending the funeral of Lebanon’s most eminent Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah.
A day of national mourning has been declared and a huge crowd has followed the funeral procession in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Tributes have poured in from all over the Arab and Islamic worlds.
(AP, July 6, 2010)
Lynn, USA - Authorities say more than 100 headstones in a Catholic church cemetery in Massachusetts were knocked over during the weekend.
Lynn police Lt. Peter Holey says the stones were all pushed or kicked down, likely on Sunday night.
The Rev. Michael Ferrero of St. Mary’s Parish in Lynn says the vandalism is “sick” and he can’t comprehend the effort to cause that much destruction.
Michael Theodoulou ("Daily Mail," July 6, 2010)
Tehran, Iran - Iran is set to order a crackdown on men sporting ‘un-Islamic’ haircuts.
Long hair and ponytails are definitely out this summer - though a dab of gel is acceptable, according to the country’s morality police.
And a beard is no longer required as a symbol of political and religious correctness.
Layla Yousif Rahema ("AsiaNews," July 6, 2010)
Mosul, Iraq - The agony continues for the Christian community of Mosul, the most dangerous city in Iraq. Yesterday July 5, in a targeted attack yet another Christian was killed. 54 year old Syrian Orthodox, Behnam Sabti worked as a nurse at the Jumhuriya state hospital of Mosul. A bomb fixed under his car exploded while the man was driving, killing him instantly.
Zhen Yuan ("AsiaNews," July 6, 2010)
Wuhai, China - Fr Joseph Shulai Zhang, vicar general of the underground diocese of Ningxia (Inner Mongolia) and Sr. Mary Wei Yanhui were stabbed and killed last night in the district of Wuda, Wuhai, Inner Mongolia. The two religious worked in a hospice for the elderly wich is housed in the residence of the local church.
J.B. An Dang ("AsiaNews," July 6, 2010)
Da Nang, Vietnam - Nam Nguyen, a Catholic from Con Dau parish, in the Diocese of Da Nang died last Saturday, just hours after being released by police. The man, already in recent months, had been arrested, beaten and threatened by agents, following protests from residents over the closure of the cemetery of the parish and the announced destruction of their homes to build a tourist centre.
Sam Nkurunziza ("The New Times," July 6, 2010)
Karongi, Rwanda — Members of a religious sect in the districts of Rutsiro and Karongi, have been arrested for rejecting the national identification cards.
The group, belonging to a breakaway sect of the Seventh Day Adventists, believes that national IDs are ’satanic and are therefore prohibited by the Bible’.
Eva Vergara (AP, July 6, 2010)
Santiago, Chile - The Roman Catholic Church is petitioning Chile’s government for prisoner pardons that would include people responsible for crimes against humanity, angering rights activists and some conservatives.
The church is asking for the pardons as part of the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Chile’s independence on Sept. 18.
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