An Irish pastor who condemned Islam during a sermon is being investigated by police in Northern Ireland for a possible hate crime.
Pastor James McConnell of Whitewell Metropolitan Church gave a sermon on Sunday May 18th condemning Islam after being outraged over the treatment of Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese Christian sentenced to death because she will not convert to Islam.
In the sermon, Pastor McConnell said that Christians around the world are persecuted and killed daily for belief in Christ by “fanatical worshippers of Allah.” He said that Allah is not the same as the Christian God but rather a heathen deity and the British government was foolish for attempting to appease radical Islamists.
Northern Ireland politicians immediately condemned the pastor’s comments. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said that the preacher’s comments about the Islamic religion were “hate mongering.” He called for a full investigation of the pastor to see if his comments could generate racist attacks on Muslims.
Irish President Michael Higgins signed into law a bill that legalizes abortions in Ireland for the first time.
The “Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act” will allow abortions when the life of the mother is in danger due to the pregnancy. However, there is a provision that will allow a woman to have an abortion if she can convince doctors that she will commit suicide unless she can kill her baby via abortion. Continue reading →
Protesters carrying signs that read “Kill the bill! Not the child!” marched through Dublin, Ireland on Saturday to demand the government stop plans to legalize abortions in select cases.
The demonstrators marched for two hours through the capital city to the parliament building where legislators next week are expected to pass the bill. Speakers from the protesters demanded the government put the matter to a national referendum. Continue reading →
The Irish Parliament gave overwhelming first approval to a bill that would allow limited abortion.
The bill passed 138-24 to go to a second reading. The bill’s passage is the first in a three-step process before becoming law. Continue reading →
The Republic of Ireland has reported that in the fourth quarter of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013 a decline in business and services. The two consecutive declines means the economy is officially back in recession.
Preliminary estimates show the country’s GDP was down .6% in the first quarter of 2013. Continue reading →
British Prime Minister David Cameron held a press conference just before the G8 summit in Northern Ireland to announce a groundbreaking trade deal between the European Union and United States.
Cameron called the deal the “biggest bilateral trade deal in history” and said that a successful agreement would have more impact on world finance than all other world trade deals put together. Continue reading →
A Brazilian man living in Ireland has become the country’s first reported case of leprosy in modern times.
The man had first contracted leprosy in Brazil 10 years ago and is likely suffering a recurrence of the disease. Continue reading →
The International Monetary Fund has released an assessment critical of Ireland’s actions after receiving bailout funds.
The report says that Irish banks have made “inadequate progress” due to non-performing loans and not dealing well with tackling home repossessions. The IMF said it’s likely the banks are still losing money before putting aside funds to cover bad loans. Continue reading →
Members of the Legislative Assembly in Northern Ireland are debating an amendment that would ban abortions at private clinics in the nation.
The amendment is being attached to a criminal justice bill.
Opponents of the measure say the bill will keep women from being able to obtain abortions as prescribed by current law but the author of the bill says those claims have no basis. Continue reading →
Abortion proponents have seized upon the death of a 31-year-old woman after a miscarriage to bully Irish legislators into expanding abortion.
The government announced today it will bow to the wishes of those activists and put laws in place to legislate for abortion where “the mother’s life is at risk.” Continue reading →