Religion

[IPS] New Delhi, India -- As a Muslim woman born and brought up in Denmark, Nadia Helmy Ahmed broke many stereotypes when she started boxing at the age of 15. "Back then it was not common for girls to take up elite boxing, let alone common for Muslim girls, I used to be the only girl in my gym, along with ten others boys," said Nadia to IPS News. (AllAfrica)

[The Herald] Government has rapped some church and community leaders trying to stop their followers from accepting Covid-19 vaccines and said only professional health personnel should comment on the jab. (AllAfrica)

[Monitor] A section of Christians in Masaka Diocese have castigated top government officials for shunning the burial of Bishop Emeritus John Baptist Kaggwa. (AllAfrica)

[Nation] An organisation that tracks persecution of Christians worldwide has published its latest Top 50 list with four African countries among the places where it is hardest to practise the faith. (AllAfrica)

[This Day] Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has congratulated the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, on his appointment into the Papal Dicastery on the promotion of integral human development. (AllAfrica)

[Nairobi News] The Atheist In Kenya Society has embarked on an exercise seeking to expose places of worship responsible for causing discomfort to many Kenyans due to noise pollution. (AllAfrica)

[Nation] The arrest of a local cleric in Lubumbashi, the DRC, over incitement has elicited protests in Haut-Katanga province, evoking memories of secession demands. (AllAfrica)

[This Day] Lagos -- Cosmas Odoemena argues that Bishop Kukah spoke the truth to power (AllAfrica)

[Daily Trust] One of the emerging dilemmas in Nigeria's democracy is the serious threat it regularly confronts from misguided utterances of people lacking experience and wisdom in politics or governance who exploit the unscrupulous exuberance of the media to ambush public attention. The indiscriminate propagation of such utterances usually sparks political outrage capable of escalating simmering contentions into public disturbances. The reality of deliberate incitement of political crises by non-political actors, freque (AllAfrica)

[Shabait] It was 8 in the morning and I was rushing to get to my work place. I was running by the streets of Harnet Avenue. I decided to take a rest as I was panting. While I was taking a rest I took my phone out of my pocket to check if I could make it to work before 8.20 a.m. That's when I realized it was the 19th of January. "Wow, it has already been a year!" I started to reminisce about the past. I looked around and found myself around Bahti Meskerem. That place suddenly made me nostalgic because last year at th (AllAfrica)

[Nation] Pope Raphael Otieno Adika of the Legio Maria African Church is alive and well. (AllAfrica)

[This Day] The Holy Father, Pope Francis has appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, His Lordship, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, as a Member of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Human Integral Development at the Vatican City in Rome. (AllAfrica)

[Daily Trust] Nasarawa State Government has repatriated 40 Almajirai back to their various states of origin. (AllAfrica)

[ACSA] It is with profound sorrow that I have to announce the devastating news that the Bishop of Swaziland in eSwatini, the Right Revd Ellinah Wamukoya, died today. (AllAfrica)

[New Times] The remains of late Father Ubald Rugirangoga will be repatriated to Rwanda for burial after a funeral mass slated for January 27, in the United States. (AllAfrica)

[This Day] Jos -- Matthew Kukah is torn between his call and his calling. (AllAfrica)

[Nyasa Times] Prophet David Mbewe, Founder of the Living Word Evangelistic Church (Liwec ) whose headquarters is in Machinga has faulted the government over its decision to limit religious gatherings to 50 people. (AllAfrica)

[Nation] Nyandarua churches have banned politicians from addressing their congregations or speaking at any forums officiated by them until leadership wrangles at the Nyandarua County Assembly are addressed. (AllAfrica)

[Nyasa Times] A prominent Catholic priest has succumbed to coronavirus (Covid-19). (AllAfrica)

[The Conversation Africa] On the day before the 2020 US presidential election, Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, the leader of the African Christian Democratic Party in South Africa, tweeted: (AllAfrica)

[Ethiopian Herald] Have you ever visited Ethiopia to watch the colorful celebrations of Timket at Jan Meda? If not, I assure you that you have missed a major religious and cultural event that takes place in this country. Try it this time and do not forget to get your camera to record the celebrations for friends here or abroad who have not got the chance to attend Timket. (AllAfrica)

[Nation] Drama unfolded at the Anglican Church of Kenya's St Paul's Yala Parish in Siaya County on Sunday morning after a group of angry faithful broke into the house of worship amid an ongoing leadership dispute. (AllAfrica)

[Sierra Leone Government] His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has graced the inauguration service of the new executive of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Sierra Leone at their Circular Road church in Freetown. (AllAfrica)

[Vanguard] Abuja -- Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Revd. Ignatius Kaigama, on Sunday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to create opportunities for youths to take the leadership positions at all levels of government and economy for the progress of the nation. (AllAfrica)

[Ethiopian Herald] Timket is one of Ethiopia's UNESCO inscribed intangible cultural heritages of humanity ,thus, the youths and the faithful have to work on passing down its rich traditions and values to posterity , said Abune Mathias ,Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, (AllAfrica)

[ENA] Addis Ababa -- Gondar, the ancient historical city and considered as the Camelot of Ethiopian epiphany (Timket), has finalized its preparation of the carnival that will be celebrated on Tuesday, announced the city administration. (AllAfrica)

[This Day] Minna -- Bandits have killed a Catholic Priest and kidnapped 17 persons in three communities in Bassa/Kukoki ward of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. (AllAfrica)

[This Day] Makurdi -- Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has called all Nigerians, irrespective of religious and political affiliations, to uphold unity, peace and dialogue as panacea for the myriad of problems confronting the country. (AllAfrica)

[Addis Fortune] Markets around the city are normally vibrant and crowded in the days leading up to a holiday, but things seem uncharacteristically quiet on that front this Ethiopian Christmas. The global pandemic, the bout of instability that has gripped the country, inflation and the forex crunch seem to be the culprits behind the dull state of things this year, reports MAYA MISIKIR, FORTUNE STAFF WRITER. (AllAfrica)

[Namibian] THE police had to be called to the scene when the Evatelo parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (Elcin) near Endola in the Ohangwena region was vandalised two weeks ago. (AllAfrica)

[Nairobi News] Atheists in Kenya Society (AIK) has welcomed gospel singer Ruth Matete to join the movement after she blasted church leaders for hypocrisy. (AllAfrica)