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Wednesday, November 11, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Religion
RIGHTS: Not Quite Islamic Executions
The Middle East leads the world in executions after China, says an annual Amnesty International report released Tuesday.MIDEAST: Religion Sways Policy, Now in Israel
There was a time when Israel was held in contempt by its neighbours for its over-liberal ways. They felt it did not "belong" in the Middle East.MIDEAST: ‘Palestinian Life is Cheap’
In early February, 41-year-old Fayez Ahmed Faraj, a father of nine from the city of Hebron, 30 miles south of Jerusalem, in the southern West Bank, was shot dead in his home town by Israeli soldiers after he allegedly tried to stab one of them.MIDEAST: Israeli Army World’s Most Moral?
Many Israelis like to believe, and the cliché is repeated regularly in Israel, that their army is the "most moral army in the world."
Q&A: “Honour Killings Happen in All Religions”
Thirteen women are murdered in "honour killings" by their own relatives every day, according to Rana Husseini, a human rights advocate and journalist who has devoted her career to fighting the barbaric and widespread practice.MEDIA-MALAYSIA: Censorship Taking A Religious Turn, Critics Say
For many Malaysian journalists these days, it has become very tricky to draw a clear line between commenting critically on an issue and offending a particular community and thus threatening social order.MIDEAST: Israel Hovers Between War and Peace
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current visit to Washington is not just about trying to smooth over the crisis which has rocked U.S.-Israeli relations over the past fortnight.
RIGHTS-MALAWI: Full Court Trial for Gay Couple
Two men who married each other in a traditional engagement ceremony will have to undergo trial and face years of imprisonment if found guilty of having a homosexual relationship.MIDEAST: EU Boosts Israel Ties, Ignores Illegal Settlements
Diplomats representing the European Union (EU) have drawn up a new plan for strengthening their relations with Israel despite the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.MEXICO: Kidnapping – A Growing Risk for Central American Migrants
The increase in kidnappings of Central American migrants crossing Mexico on their way to the United States will be brought up at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) current session next Monday.IRAQ: Seculars Gain as Religious Parties Lose Ground
Iraq's largest secular bloc appears to be the biggest surprise of the parliamentary elections at a time when some of the most well-known religious groups and figures have sustained great losses, preliminary election results so far indicate.
PERU: Priest on Campaign Trail Defrocked
A priest who is touring the country in his bid to run for president next year, at the head of a leftist movement, was indefinitely suspended by the Catholic Church for getting involved in politics.
MIDEAST: ‘Day of Rage’ Engulfs Palestine
On Tuesday tens of hundreds of Palestinians of all political persuasions took to the streets, alleys and sidewalks as widespread rioting and protests spread across East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza and into Israel proper.
MIDEAST: Israel Lands in Public Relations Nightmare
Israeli riot police and soldiers have, since Friday, sealed off the Al Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest shrine, restricting entry to women and Palestinian men over 50.SOMALIA: U.S. Should Accept Islamist Authority, Report Says
The United States should accept an "Islamist authority" in Somalia as part of a "constructive disengagement" strategy for the war-torn country, according to a new report released here by the influential Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on Wednesday.MIDEAST: Iran, Israel Spoiling for a Fight?
Iran and Israel appear to be spoiling for a fight, going by recent belligerent statements emanating from several regional capitals.
MIDEAST: Israeli Left Emerges From Coma Amid Atrocities
Amid the wave of violence that swept through the occupied Palestinian West Bank, including East Jerusalem, over the last few days, there are signs that the Israeli left may be emerging from its collective coma.
Q&A: ‘Israeli Siege Causing De-development of Gaza’
For the first time since September 2006, Mahmoud Abu Rahma, a leading figure in the Palestinian human rights group Al Mezan, has been granted permission to travel outside Gaza.IRAQ: Secular Candidates Have Their Best Chance
As Iraqis go to the polls on Sunday, a key question in the minds of many in Iraq and Washington is whether secular candidates can continue their recent rise and possibly come out as winners.RELIGION-MEXICO: Legion of Christ Scandal Escalates
A new scandal has increased the pressure on the conservative religious order Legion of Christ, one of the most influential in the Catholic Church, to compensate the victims of alleged sexual abuse by its founder, Mexican priest Marcial Maciel, and carry out internal reforms.MIDEAST: Palestinian Homes on ‘David’s Garden’ Spared for Now
Outside the Bedouin-style protest tent in the heart of this Palestinian neighbourhood, the anger is palpable, but controlled.« 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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