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The two-page document is potentially explosive. Experts believe it shows the minutes taken during a meeting on September 21 of last year in the northern Iranian city of Sari. During the gathering, senior officials from a number of provincial authorities agreed to pursue a systematic policy of persecution against Iran's largest non-Muslim religious minority: the Baha'is . The Baha'i faith emerged from Islam in the middle of the 19th century. Today it has some five million members worldwide. But responding to a written enquiry from DW, the German government's human rights commissioner, Bärbel Kofler, said that in their Iranian homeland the Baha'is are, "the worst treated minority in terms of their human and political rights. They're viewed as a sectarian political group and persecuted accordingly." At the mercy of the state And that persecution appears to be nothing less than official government policy. That, at least, is the conclusion that appears to emerge from the paper … [Read more...] about Baha’i in Iran — repressed and persecuted by the state

In the ruins of Mosul — just a few years ago the declared capital of the so-called Islamic State (IS) caliphate in Iraq and the place from which the extremist group declared war against Rome — stands an old man dressed in white, praying for peace and togetherness. He relates stories about Christians and Muslims helping one another to survive, to rebuild. About how they have stuck together through all kinds of suffering and despair. "Together, we say NO to fundamentalism, NO to sectarianism and NO to corruption," he says. The 84-year-old pontiff has seldom taken on such a clear role as a missionary and  uncompromising advocate for peace. And his calls for peace, forgiveness and the recognition of victims on all sides must have been hard to take for Iraq's minority Christians, who now make up only a fraction of the community that existed 20 or 30 years ago. At an interfaith service in Ur, he spoke expressly of the suffering of all ethnic groups and religious communities in the age of … [Read more...] about Opinion: Pope’s vision of harmony in Iraq needs everyday effort

Police on Monday said they had arrested an Algerian man in the southern town of Bari on suspicion of belonging to the militant "Islamic State" (IS) group and involvement in the Paris attacks. The coordinated incidents on November 13, 2015, which killed 130 and left hundreds more wounded, were France's deadliest attacks since World War II. The perpetrators targeted people with guns and explosives at the Bataclan concert hall , as well as restaurants in eastern Paris and the vicinity of the Stade de France sports stadium. Who is the arrested suspect? A statement said that the man, named by the La Repubblica daily newspaper as Athmane T., was believed to have provided counterfeit documents to the gunmen and suicide bombers. Investigators said the 36-year-old was part of an IS cell that had been operating in France and Belgium with his two brothers, according to Italian media. He had reportedly already been in prison in Bari for carrying false documents and was set to be … [Read more...] about Italian police arrest IS suspect over 2015 Paris attacks

MISSOURI Senator Roy Blunt will not run for re-election in 2022, he revealed on Monday. He's now the fifth GOP senator to retire after this Congress . Blunt, 71, announced his retirement in a video posted to Twitter on Monday. Speaking from his family's dairy barn, he said he learned the lesson of finishing "the work that could get done that day." "In every job Missourians have allowed me to have, I've tried to do my best," he said. "In over 12,000 votes in the Congress I'm sure I wasn't right every time," he continued, adding he did what he thought was best with the information he had at the time." He revealed: "After 14 general election victories – three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives, and four statewide elections, I won't be a candidate for re-election to the United States Senate next year." Thank you, Missourians, for the opportunity to work for you and a better future for our state and our country. … [Read more...] about Missouri Sen Roy Blunt will not run for re-election in 2022 – making him 5th GOP senator to retire after this Congress

Prince Harry and Meghan have given an explosive tell-all interview to Oprah Winfrey, opening up about racism concerns, suicidal thoughts and Royal Family rifts. The two-hour prime-time interview with the US chat host - where "no subject is off limits" - has given the couple their chance to tell their story and left many reeling from the unexpected revelations . As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex admit they walked away from life as senior royals because they felt "trapped", we look at the network of famous and influential figures they've got on speed dial now they've built a new life in the US. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris While the Royal Family remain staunchly apolitical, Prince Harry and Meghan's departure from "The Firm" has allowed them freedom to have a more friendly relationship with political movers and shakers. Advertisement Harry's past work on military issues bought him into close contact with the Bidens, … [Read more...] about Harry and Meghan: The celebrities and influential figures who make up their LA inner circle