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Wednesday, November 11, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Religion
CUBA: Castro, Church Discuss Political Prisoners
Talks between the government of President Raúl Castro and leaders of the Catholic Church in Cuba may alleviate internal tensions and lead to the release of political prisoners, although the dialogue should be extended to include other social sectors in the country, religious leaders and analysts told IPS.EGYPT: Historically Apolitical, Sufis Now Side With the State
Although Egypt's many Sufi orders have traditionally been known for keeping a safe distance from politics, recent events suggest they are now closer than ever to the ruling regime.MIDEAST: Where Commemorations Are Split
In Israel and Palestine memory is a split matter, depending on which side of the map you come from. Especially this May, as Israeli and Palestinian leaders restart negotiating a border acceptable to their peoples.
MIDEAST: Palestinian Economic Boycott Hits Israeli Settlers
Israeli settlers are beginning to feel the bite of an economic boycott campaign launched by the Palestinian Authority (PA) against goods produced in the illegal Israeli settlements dotting the occupied West Bank.EGYPT: Hopes Fade for US Help to Restore Civil Liberties
Egypt's decision to extend its oppressive Emergency Law for two more years drew a tepid response from Washington, prompting criticism that U.S. administrations - including that of President Barack Obama - only push for political reform in Egypt when it suits their geostrategic interest.ISRAEL: The Only Democracy in the Middle East?
Noam Chomsky, a fierce espouser of left-wing causes, is widely admired in countries which parade themselves as "democracies". Apparently, the admiration does not extend to Israel.More Faiths, Greater Religious Fluidity in Cuba
Interest in religion is on the upsurge in Cuba, indicated by the growth and variety of the faiths being practised as well as by the ease with which people participate in more than one spiritual community at a time.
MIDEAST: Chomsky – Latest Jewish Thinker Savaged by Israel
When internationally renowned linguist, philosopher and political analyst Noam Chomsky was barred from entering the West Bank, he joined a chorus of Jewish intellectuals savaged by the Israeli government for outspoken criticism.
MIDEAST: Israel, Iran Talking War to Ward Off War?
Suddenly, the Middle East is awash with talk of war this summer. Or, is the talk of war merely meant to keep war at bay?
COLOMBIA: “Death Threats Have Become Routine,” Says Jesuit Priest
The death threats against Catholic priest Javier Giraldo painted on walls in the Colombian capital may have come from far-right paramilitaries, the military, drug trafficking gangs or groups with interests in African oil palm plantations.MIDEAST: Divided We Celebrate
"What kind of celebration is this," said Bat-El, 22, engulfed in a sea of blue- and-white Israeli flags in a huge procession marking Israel's self-celebrated Jerusalem Day, the anniversary by the Hebrew calendar of Israel's conquest of East Jerusalem 43 years ago during the 1967 Arab-Israel war.Iraqi Christians Cling to Their Faith in Jordanian Exile
As the 2003 United States-led invasion of Iraq began, the country’s Christians started streaming across the border into neighbouring Jordan. Today most of them continue to live here in abject poverty with no hope of ever returning to the land of their ancestors.
MIDEAST: Is Israel Sliding Towards a Police State?
Israeli nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu has been sentenced to another three months imprisonment for allegedly refusing to perform community service in West Jerusalem.
Pope’s Visit Finds Catholicism on the Decline in Portugal
Pope Benedict XVI began a four-day visit to Portugal Tuesday in an uncomfortable scenario for himself and his followers, amidst accusations that the Catholic Church leadership protected pedophile priests, and the free distribution of condoms by hundreds of protesters here.
MIDEAST: Israeli Settlers Step Up Attacks on Palestinian Mosques
"There is immense anger as well as a feeling of vulnerability and fear when a place of sanctuary and holiness is subject to indiscriminate violence," says Issa Hussein.MIDEAST: West Bankers Made Refugees in Their Own Country
Several Palestinians have set up a protest tent in no-man’s land in the northern Gaza Strip, near the Erez border crossing into Israel, as they protest their deportation from the Israeli occupied West Bank into Gaza where Hamas authorities have refused them entry.MIDEAST: Hope Amidst Grim Prospects for Peace
Proximity peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, due to begin shortly after months of delay due to Israel’s continued settlement building on occupied Palestinian land, appear to have little chance of making a breakthrough.
Zarqa Lives Up to al-Zarqawi’s Ideals
Infamous as the hometown of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the late al-Qaeda leader, Zarqa is dominated by Islamic parties.Pope Rewrites Epitaph for Legion of Christ Founder
The Vatican's decision to appoint a special delegate to run the Legion of Christ and to set up a commission to look into the order after more than a decade of allegations of sexual abuse by its founder has shaken the powerful ultraconservative Catholic order established in Mexico.Chile Shaken by Sex Abuse Allegations against Revered Priest
A small group of feminists demonstrated outside the Metropolitan Cathedral in the Chilean capital Thursday to express their condemnation of an influential Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing at least five teenagers.
MIDEAST: Egypt, Hamas Complicit in Israel’s Gaza Blockade
A convoy of boats laden with humanitarian goods and accompanied by hundreds of journalists, human rights activists and European parliamentarians, is due to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza at the end of May.« Previous Page — Next Page »
Religion plays a big and in some cases growing role in the socio-political dynamics within countries and often is a factor in civil and cross-border conflict, conflict resolution and peace building. From Burmese monks' marches to the role of religious fundamentalism, this dedicated site gathers IPS stories about how religion affects our world, from daily life to geo-politics.
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