Marocco
Pope Francis' visit : Muslim scholars’ unions slam Morocco for a religious performance
yabiladi

Muslim scholars’ associations have criticized the Mohammed VI Institute for the training of Imams for hosting a performance that included a call to prayer and church songs. The performance was staged, Saturday, before King Mohammed VI and Pope Francis. (...) 

(fr) Visite du Pape: La performance à l’institut de formation des imams déplaît aux érudits

Kuwait
Mons. Ballin: Natale occasione di unità per i cristiani d’Arabia, diversi per origini, riti e lingue
AsiaNews

Per l’Avvento previsti momenti di preghiera, incontri e confessioni. La cattedrale in Bahrain è fondamentale per rispondere anche ai bisogni dei cristiani in Arabia Saudita. Il “lento progredire” delle relazioni sociali e confessionali. La visita di papa Francesco fonte di “incoraggiamento” per i cristiani della regione. Pur a fronte di alcune criticità. (...)

Kuwait
La iglesia de Kuwait, una torre de Babel en la tierra del petróleo

Efe - La Vanguardia

La Iglesia Nacional Evangélica de Kuwait es una auténtica torre de Babel que alberga a 85 congregaciones cristianas con fieles de todo el mundo llegados a este país del golfo Pérsico para trabajar en la industria petrolera. El reverendo Ammanuel Ghareeb, líder de la Iglesia, desgrana orgulloso números y números para recalcar la importancia de este templo para la minoritaria comunidad cristiana de Kuwait. "Tenemos 85 congregaciones de diferentes idiomas orando en el complejo. Cerca de 25.000 creyentes vienen cada semana. (...)

Filippine
Philippines to send priest to Kuwait to assist migrants
UCANews

(Joe Torres) The Philippines is sending a Catholic priest to Kuwait next month to assist Filipino migrant workers who escaped from abusive employers. The announcement by church leaders came on the same day Kuwait ordered the Philippine ambassador to the Gulf state to leave the country for alleged "undiplomatic acts." (...)

Kuwait
Seul prêtre koweïtien, le père Gharib célèbre la Bible en tenue bédouine
AFP - TV5Monde

Chaque dimanche, le seul prêtre de nationalité koweïtienne, le père Gharib célèbre en tenue bédouine la Bible avec sa congrégation dans la capitale koweïtienne. Portant une coiffe arabe traditionnelle qui le fait ressembler à un bédouin, cet ecclésiastique âgé de 68 ans est une figure unique de l'émirat à prédominance musulmane. (...)

Iraq
In Kuwait si discute della ricostruzione dell’Iraq. Mar Sako: non promesse, servono progetti
AsiaNews

Per sanare i danni provocati dai conflitti, anche contro l’Isis, serviranno 88 miliardi di dollari. Il segretario generale Onu invita i governi mondiali a sostenere la ripresa del Paese. Scetticismo del patriarcato caldeo: nessun riferimento alle minoranze; il denaro a pioggia rischia di alimentare corruzione e terrorismo. Istruzione e lavoro le basi per la rinascita.  (...)

Regno Unito
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 used by UK to boost weapon sales
The Guardian - The Observer

(Jamie Doward) Thatcher government saw war on Saddam as an ‘unparalleled opportunity’ to sell arms, declassified secret memos reveal -- The British government saw Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait as an “unparalleled opportunity” to sell arms to Gulf states, according to recently declassified secret documents. (...)

Kuwait
Kuwait-Vatican relations based on common values: Diplomat
Kuwait Times

Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Walid Al-Khebeizi said Tuesday the friendly relations with the Vatican City State stemmed from belief in shared values, tolerance and open up to religious faith. “The State of Kuwait was the first Gulf country to establish diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1969 and since then the bilateral relations have kept growing,” he told reporters after attending an annual function at the Vatican Embassy. (...)

Egitto
Terrorism will end soon: Pope Tawadros II
Kuwait Times

Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II yesterday condemned attacks on two Coptic churches on Palm Sunday in Egypt, adding “terrorism will end soon.” Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Tawadros affirmed that terrorism in Egypt will not break the strong bond between Muslims and Christians that has persevered for more than 14 centuries. “I had been longing to visit Kuwait, which I knew through Al-Arabi magazine, and I was obsessed with the knowledge and research here,” he said. (...) 

(fr) Les attentats contre les églises visent l'unité des Egyptiens (pape copte) (AFP - OLJ)

Kuwait
His Highness the Amir meets Coptic Pope Tawadros II
KUNA

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received on Sunday Tawadros II, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. Pope Tawadros II expressed happiness over his meeting with His Highness the Amir as well as his visit to Kuwait, which is known for its tolerance and kindness of its people. Pope Tawadros II, in a mass in the Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, (...)

Egitto
Coptic pope to visit Kuwait next week: Egyptian ambassador
ahram online

Pope Tawadros will visit Kuwait on Sunday at the invitation of the emir in the first such visit to the Gulf state by a Coptic Orthodox patriarch, Egypt’s ambassador to Kuwait said Friday. During the four-day visit, the Coptic cleric will inaugurate a new cathedral. Ambassador Yasser Atef told Egyptian state news agency MENA that the pope will also hold spiritual meetings and attend a celebratory dinner alongside the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Kuwait, Bishop Bishoy. (...)

Kuwait
Pope Tawadros visit to Kuwait on schedule
Kuwait Times

Pastor of the St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Kuwait, Father Bishoy, stressed that the visit of Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria to Kuwait in the period of April 23-27 on an invitation by Kuwait’s political leadership remains scheduled. Bishoy also expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for condoling Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Pope Tawadros  (...)

Kuwait
Man ‘armed with knife’ disrupts Catholic mass in Kuwait City
Kuwait Times

A citizen, carrying a concealed knife, disrupted mass at the Catholic Church in Kuwait City Sunday evening. The man was later arrested by police. No one was hurt in the incident. Interior Ministry officials confirmed that a Kuwaiti man was taken by police after causing a disturbance at the Holy Family Cathedral Sunday evening. Two eye witnesses at the Church confirmed to Kuwait Times that the man was carrying a long kitchen knife. (...)

Filippine
Bishops mourn execution of OFW in Kuwait
CBCPnews

Catholic bishops voiced grief over the execution of a Filipina domestic helper in Kuwait and called on Filipinos to reconsider their stance on the revival of the death penalty in the country. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines expressed their sorrow for the execution of Jakatia Pawa yesterday and said it should serve as a clear message for Filipino to reject the capital punishment. (...)

Kuwait
Kuwait's relief aid recognizes no religion, ethnicity - Coptic Patriarch
Kuwait News Agency

The Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church Ibrahim Isaac has lauded Kuwait's comprehensive humanitarian and relief efforts that recognize no racial, religious or ethnic considerations. On departure from Kuwait on Sunday, Patriarch Isaac told reporters that the country does its best to help the afflicted, the homeless and refugees "driven by a pure humanitarian motive". He added that his visit to Kuwait was a successful one, as he saw how the Catholic Copts and the Egyptian community in general, enjoy due care in Kuwait amid a multicultural social climate. The Patriarch noted that during the visit (...)

Kuwait
Vicario Nord Arabia: da islam moderato "no" più forte a violenza

Radio Vaticana

Sull’invito al dialogo e all’accoglienza dell’altro rivolto dal Papa nel suo Messaggio al Meeting promosso da Comunione e Liberazione, il nostro inviato al meeting Luca Collodi ha raccolto il commento di mons. Camillo Ballin, vicario apostolico dell'Arabia settentrionale, che partecipa all’incontro di Rimini: R. – Certamente è un tema molto attuale, soprattutto in Italia che è il Paese più esposto a ricevere queste persone che scappano da guerre e da situazioni umanamente estremamente difficili e quindi è importante (...)

Libano
Il patriarca Rai incontra i diplomatici del Golfo per discutere dei migranti libanesi espulsi
AsiaNews

Il vertice giunge in un momento di “grande tensione” fra il Libano e i governi della regione. Per la Chiesa locale è un incontro “molto importante” per capire “la sorte” dei lavoratori. Essi vanno “protetti” perché “nulla hanno a che vedere con le tensioni politiche”. Almeno 50mila libanesi vivono e lavorano nei Paesi del Golfo.  (...)

Kuwait
La Chiesa dell'Arabia "è giovane e attiva, al servizio di famiglie divise e lontane"
AsiaNews

Mons. Camillo Ballin, vicario apostolico dell’Arabia Settentrionale, racconta ad AsiaNews una comunità composta da “diversi riti e lingue”. Il problema “degli spazi” per una realtà in continua crescita. Dai governi non vi sono particolari restrizioni alla libertà religiosa “con alcune differenze”. La lotta all’emarginazione e alla solitudine. L’attesa per le celebrazioni della Pasqua.  (...)

Filippine
Vescovo di Balanga: Grazie alla Chiesa, migliora la situazione dei filippini in Kuwait
AsiaNews

Il presidente della Commissione episcopale filippina per i migranti e gli itineranti conferma ad AsiaNews la “parziale amnistia” concessa dall’emirato: “Invitiamo i nostri connazionali a fare di tutto per mettersi in regola, è importante essere sempre nella legalità”. (...)

Kuwait
Terreni concessi per costruire nuove chiese, ma i parlamentari si oppongono
Fides

Le notizie diffuse sulle disposizioni della municipalità di Madinat al-Kuwait (Kuwait City), che avrebbe approvato la concessione di terreni per la costruzione di nuove chiese, stanno suscitando nell'Emirato la reazione veemente da parte di parlamentari e giuristi kuwaitiani. Il giurista islamico (...)