religion
Religion and gender equality clash at Hindu temple in India
Sabarimala, one of Hinduism’s most holy temples, has become a symbol of the fight for gender equality in India as female worshippers continue to be denied access to the premises…
Syria passes strict laws governing religious affairs
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has signed into law a new bill expanding the powers of a government ministry overseeing religious affairs and limiting the term of the country’s…
One is not enough: China to encourage people to have more children
With its birthrate tumbling, China is to change tack and encourage people to have more children. But we ask will Chinese women heed the government’s call? Also a spike in…
Mediawatch
The online memes that can land you in jail in Russia
Using a law against "extremism," Russia is ramping up prosecutions against people who post memes mocking religion on social media. It's believed to be part of a campaign to…
New 'nap pods' to welcome Hajj pilgrims
Hajj pilgrimage starts on Sunday where Saudi Arabia is expected to host over two million Muslims. To cope with the massive influx of visitors, authorities have introduced this…
Thousands arrive in Mecca for 'smart hajj'
Two million Muslims gather in Saudi Arabia this week for the hajj as the annual pilgrimage becomes increasingly hi-tech with apps to help the faithful navigate Islam's holiest…
Australian archbishop avoids jail for concealing child abuse
A former Australian archbishop convicted of concealing abuse by a notorious paedophile priest in the 1970s was confronted by enraged victims outside a courthouse Tuesday after a…
The Debate
Argentina abortion bill: Country braces for historic vote to legalise abortion
Senators in Argentina are debating whether or not to legalise abortion in all cases up to 14 weeks of pregnancy. Currently, it’s only allowed if the fetus is deformed, the woman…
Israel passes law granting Jews 'exclusive right' to self-determination
Israel passed a law on Thursday to declare that only Jews have the right of self-determination in the country, something members of the Arab minority called racist and verging on…
Middle East Matters
Khaled Diab: Debunking myths about Islam
This week our special guest is Khaled Diab, an Egyptian journalist based in Tunisia. He's an atheist Arab of Muslim upbringing. With Islam being one of the most controversial,…
Eid celebrations mark end of Muslim holy month
Muslims around the world celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Fitr on Friday, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan when the faithful fast from sunrise to sunset.
Austria to close mosques, expel imams in crackdown on ‘political islam’
Austria’s government said Friday that it is closing seven mosques and plans to expel imams in a crackdown on “political Islam” and foreign financing of religious groups.