Cannabis Found in Religious Statue by US Customs

-
0
Cannabis Found in Religious Statue by US Customs

Officials in the American state of Kentucky have discovered 26 pounds of cannabis hidden inside a statue of Jesus Christ.

The find was made at a DHL Express cargo facility in Northern Kentucky on Friday.

U.S Customs and Border Patrol discovered the drugs during a morning inspection of the cargo hold.

After an x-ray scan officers drilled inside the statue to find around £13,000 worth of cannabis.

Cincinnati Port Director Richard L. Gillespie said: “This unique seizure demonstrates the extraordinary methods individuals will utilize in their attempt to smuggle narcotics.”

The package originated from Mexico and was destined for delivery to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Source and Original Content by Premier News

Pope Plans 2015 American Trip

-
0
Pope Plans 2015 American Trip

Pope Francis has announced plans to visit the American city of Philadelphia next year.

The Pontiff will make the trip in September 2015 for the World Meeting of Families event.

It’s Francis’ first visit to the United States as pope and he becomes only the fourth reigning pontiff to visit the U.S.

Full details have yet to be released although it’s expected the Holy Father will make the trip between September 25 and 27.

Local Archbishop Charles Chaput told CBS: “A hallmark of his papacy has been a keen focus on the many challenges that families face today globally. His charisma, presence and voice will electrify the gathering.

“As I’ve said many times before, I believe that the presence of the Holy Father will bring all of us – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – together in tremendously powerful, unifying and healing ways.

“We look forward to Pope Francis’ arrival in Philadelphia next September and we will welcome him joyfully with open arms and prayerful hearts.”

Source and Original Content by Premier Christian News

Body of Priest Kidnapped 6 Months Ago found in Mass Grave in Mexico

-
0
Body of Priest Kidnapped 6 Months Ago found in Mass Grave in Mexico

A Ugandan Catholic priest has been identified as one of the bodies found in a mass grave in Mexico last month.

Fr John Ssenyondo had been missing since being kidnapped by gunmen six months ago.

His car was blocked by unknown attackers who then forced him into their vehicle on April 30.

Police found the mass grave whilst looking for 43 student teachers who went missing at the end of September.

Officers have now revealed the bodies found in the grave near the town of Ocotitlan were not the students.

Dental records and DNA had to be used to identify Fr Ssenyondo, who had been in Mexico for five years.

Revd Victor Aguilar, vicar in the diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, told the BBC: “We don’t know the motive, you know violence is widespread in the state.”

Source and Original Content by Premier Christian News

Nigerian Military Recaptures Christian Town From Insurgents

-
0
Nigerian Military Recaptures Christian Town From Insurgents

The Nigerian army has said it’s recaptured and “secured” the Christian town of Chibok from Islamic militants.

Boko Haram had taken control of the area last week but state forces have pushed them out.

Spokesman General Olajide Olaleye told AFP: “Mopping up ops ongoing. [The] town is now secured.”

It’s thought the town was re-taken in a joint operation between local vigilantes and the military.

Leading elder Pogu Bitrus told AFP army soldiers “stayed outside the town to mop up the insurgents trying to escape” as the vigilante fought inside.

Chibok was captured by Boko Haram on Thursday amid little fight back from the Nigerian military.

Eyewitnesses say soldiers didn’t put up any challenge to the extremists and fled leaving the town open to capture.

The insurgent group is trying to create an Islamic state and has killed more than 10,000 people in the past five years.

Since the government announced a ‘ceasefire’ with Boko Haram on October 17 the militants have taken control of several towns.

Revd Canon Hassan John from the Diocese of Jos told Premier the government was ‘definitely not’ doing enough to protect Christians.

He said: “We keep seeing again and again that the most vulnerable areas in Nigeria are the local governments that are predominantly Christian

Source and Original Content by Premier Christian News

SCOAN Building Collapse: Bodies of 74 South Africans Flown Home

-
0
SCOAN Building Collapse: Bodies of 74 South Africans Flown Home

Long wails echoed through an airforce base hangar Sunday as grieving family members broke down during a ceremony to receive the remains of 74 South Africans killed in a Nigerian church building collapse.
Many could not fight back tears when names of those killed were called out and a procession of giant mortuary trucks carrying the bodies, slowly drove past the gathering to the tune of the “death march” played by the police band.

A total of 116 people — including 81 South Africans — were killed on September 12 when a multi-storey guesthouse collapsed at a Lagos mega-church.
The bodies were flown home aboard a cargo plane, two months after the accident, leaving behind another 11 victims to be repatriated after the DNA identification process is complete.

People were crushed when the guesthouse that provided lodging for foreign followers of popular Nigerian preacher and televangelist Temitope Balogun Joshua, commonly known as TB Joshua, was reduced to a pile of shattered concrete and twisted metal.

“This is indeed a sombre moment for our nation, the nation is in mourning,” said South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, leading the ceremony in Pretoria.

“This tragedy in many ways has united us in grief, it has reminded us of our shared humanity,” he said.

Ramaphosa shook hands with bereaved family members, many of whom wore white TB Joshua’s church scarves around their necks…Read More

Source and Original Content by YahooNews

Christians Urged to Pray For Prisoners as Prisons Week Begins

-
0
Christians Urged to Pray For Prisoners as Prisons Week Begins

At the start of the annual Prisoners’ Week Christians are being encouraged to think about the needs of those behind bars.

The organisation behind the week is appealing for prayers for everyone in jail, their families and victims.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Westminster, the Archbishop of Wales and the Moderator of the Free Churches Group all support the event.

Most Revd Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, said: “I am delighted to support Prisons Week once again and I strongly encourage Christians to think about, pray for, and act for all those affected by prisons during this special week in November.”

Chaplaincy Training Manager for the Prison Service, Revd Alison Tyler, told Premier many Christians would struggle to pray for those who have done wrong.

But she said: “We have the example of our Lord who was always on the side of those who have sinned and fallen short.

“We have his example in terms of forgiveness. Forgiveness basically is available for whoever asks and whenever they ask.”

Lord, you offer freedom to all people.
We pray for those in prison.
Break the bonds of fear and isolation that exist.
Support with your love prisoners and their families and friends,
Prison staff and all who care.
Heal those who have been wounded by the activities
of others, especially the victims of crime.
Help us to forgive one another.
To act justly,
love mercy and walk humbly together with Christ in His strength
and in His Spirit, now and every day. Amen.

Funeral Date For the Munroes Announced

-
0
Funeral Date For the Munroes Announced

The funeral of world renowned pastor Dr Myles Munroe and his wife is to be held on December 4.

He was travelling on a light aircraft with his wife, Ruth, when it crashed on approach to Grand Bahama International Airport earlier this month.

Dr Richard H Pinder, a Senior Vice President and Pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries Fellowship Church, also died in the crash – his funeral will be held on December 2.

Bahamas Faith Ministries International, which Dr Munroe founded, has confirmed there will be a National Memorial Service of Thanksgiving & Praise the night before his funeral.

The funeral service will be held at Bahamas Faith Ministries International Diplomat Centre on the island.

In a statement the ministry said: “We have literally been flooded with calls and well wishes from all over the world.

“We have also received a number of phone calls from several Head of States including Presidents of Countries, Prime Ministers as well as well known Pastors, Singers, Actors and Dignitaries expressing their sympathies and who have all indicated a commitment to attend.”

Source and Original Content by Premier Christian News

Google Play Offers Free YouTube Music Key to Suscribers

-
0
Google Play Offers Free YouTube Music Key to Suscribers

If your head’s been spinning trying to work out exactly which of Google’s unlimited music streaming services you’re going to fork out for, then take heart — the company has moved to clarify some of the fine print in the light of the arrival of YouTube Music Key.

Sign up for early access to YouTube Music Key ($7.99 a month to begin with, $9.99 a month eventually) and you get Google Play Music into the bargain too — that’s Google’s main cloud-based Spotify rival that lets you stream your own MP3s and millions of other songs over the Web.

Google has now confirmed that it works the other way too, so if you’ve already signed up for Google Play Music (typically $9.99 a month and previously known as Google Play Music All Access) then YouTube Music Key will be rolled out to you at no extra cost. In other words, these aren’t two competing services — you get both of them for the same monthly fee…Read More

Source and Original Content by DigitalTrends

Christian Homes Booby-Trapped by ISIS Militants

-
0
Christian Homes Booby-Trapped by ISIS Militants

A Christian who fled his village in northern Iraq claimed that ISIS jihadists are placing explosives in Christian homes just in case they decide to return, according to the Christian Post.

Ayad from Tel Keppe — a village just outside of the city of Mosul — said Christians are eager to return to their homes after Kurdish forces told refugees that their villages have been liberated. But one man who returned to Tel Keppe was killed by an explosion as as he opened the door to his dwelling.

Ayad said ISIS had also mined the road from Tel Esqof to Tel Keppe with explosives, making the journey back to his village hazardous.

During the seizure of Tel Keppe, Ayad said that even before ISIS entered it, many of his Muslim neighbors had betrayed the village’s Christians.

“The Arabs who were living in the province are the ones who took over the village at 9 p.m; then ISIS forces entered the province and occupied it at 10:30 p.m. When the local Arabs took over the city, they put the black ribbons around their heads and started shouting slogans supporting ISIS.”

Ayad said that the first thing ISIS jihadists did was to remove the crosses from the village church and replace them with black flags; they then turned the church into an ISIS headquarters.

Source and Original Content by WorthyNews

Mexico to Host Conference on Religious Freedom Violations

-
0
Mexico to Host Conference on Religious Freedom Violations

Victims of religious freedom violations are expected to testify at an upcoming national conference in Mexico.

The conference is organized by Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights in the pursuit of justice.

Currently, Mexico has one of the highest rates of religious freedom violations in the Western Hemisphere. Wherever traditional Mexican justice is practiced, minority religious groups are routinely subjected to forced conversion and participation in majority religious festivals, exclusion from state run schools, denial of basic utilities and even forced expulsion.

A report by the Mexican Commission for the Promotion of Human Rights published in September found that religious intolerance is one of the major causes of forced displacement.

“It is our hope that this conference will give a voice to victims who have been marginalized and silenced by the very government that should protect and uphold their rights,” said CSW’s Chief Operating Officer Andy Dipper. “It is unacceptable that in a modern democracy like Mexico, men, women and children continue to suffer violence and forced displacement solely because of their religious beliefs.”

Source and Original Content by Worthy News

1...3,7943,7953,796...3,893Page 3,795 of 3,893