Turkey’s President Erdogan turns another ancient Istanbul church into a mosque

Turkish President Recep Erdogan on Friday ordered another ancient Orthodox church that became a mosque and then a popular Istanbul museum to be converted back into a place of Muslim worship. The decision to transform the Kariye Museum into a mosque came just a month after a similarly controversial conversion for the UNESCO World Heritage-recognised … Read more

Amber Heard hits back after being slammed for ‘going braless’ while visiting a Turkish mosque

‘The disrespect!’: Amber Heard is slammed for going bra-less and ‘wearing a Hijab as a fashion accessory’ while still showing her neck and hair as she toured a mosque in Istanbul The actress is currently on holiday in the Turkish capital following her appearance at ex Johnny Depp’s libel trial at the High Court in London  … Read more

Christchurch mosque shooter could serve some of his sentence in Australia, says Jacinda Ardern

Christchurch mosque shooter could serve some of his sentence in Australia, says Jacinda Ardern as it emerges it will cost $1.6million a year to jail him in New Zealand Jacinda Ardern said killer Brenton Tarrant may serve his time in Australia  New Zealand PM says New Zealand must make sure ‘justice is done here first’  Total of … Read more

Christchurch mosque shooter could serve some of his sentence in Australia, says Jacinda Ardern

Christchurch mosque shooter could serve some of his sentence in Australia, says Jacinda Ardern as it emerges it will cost $1.6million a year to jail him in New Zealand Jacinda Ardern said killer Brenton Tarrant may serve his time in Australia  New Zealand PM says New Zealand must make sure ‘justice is done here first’  Total of … Read more

Coronavirus UK: Blackburn mosque shuts as imam tests positive

Up to 250 mourners at a mosque in Blackburn have been forced to self-isolate after the imam tested positive for Covid-19 – as the town overtakes Leicester with the highest rate of coronavirus infections in England.  Since July 4, a maximum of 30 people have been allowed at funerals, but an email seen by the … Read more

Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia former cathedral transformed into a mosque by President Erdogan

Turkey’s President Erdogan has transformed the former cathedral Hagia Sophia into a mosque to drum up support for his Islamic-rooted party – sparking fury from Christian groups and the US.  On Friday Turkey’s highest administrative court issued a landmark ruling that will pave the way for the government to convert the sixth century building, which currently … Read more

Worshippers ignore coronavirus social distancing as they pray at mosque in Indonesia

Huge crowds ignored social distancing by packing close together to attend Friday prayers in Indonesia, as the country surpassed the Philippines for the most coronavirus infections in South-East Asia. The worshippers were pictured at the Islamic Center mosque in Lhokseumawe, Aceh province, the northernmost part of the island of Sumatra. The Acehnese Muslims – who are native … Read more

Muslims clash with police outside a mosque as they try to enforce Pakistan’s coronavirus lockdown

Pakistani Muslims clashed with police trying to enforce new curbs on gatherings to prevent Friday prayers and contain coronavirus infections, officials said. TV footage showed dozens of people chasing two police vehicles and pelting them with stones as an officer fired in the air to disperse the crowd. The astonishing video outside a Karachi mosque … Read more