Backlash Against Muslims in Europe, Niger Churches Burn and More…

Francis appoints Scicluna to head new abuse committee — Pope Francis has appointed the Vatican’s former chief prosecutor, Bishop Charles Scicluna, as the head of a new body to handle appeals by priests accused of abuse 
THE TABLET

Will a future Pope be forced to flee Rome? — The current arc of history seems to be drawing us back into a very dark past — a time when Islam ruled half the civilized world and threatened the rest of it 
CWR

Pope Francis blesses lambs on feast of St. Agnes — Pope Francis marked the Feast of St. Agnes with a centuries-old rite: the blessing of lambs, from whose wool the Pallium will be made 
VATICAN NEWS

Obama calls same-sex "marriage" a "story of freedom" in State of Union address — ("Freedom" from obedience to God, yes) 
CHRISTIAN NEWS

"America was founded upon Christian principles, not Islam" — Franklin Graham 
CNS

America’s most godless cities: San Francisco and Las Vegas among worst 
TIME

Canadian Foreign Minister abused in Palestine — Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird’s convoy was pelted with eggs and shoes while visiting the West Bank recently 
YNET

Canada’s best kids book is an anti-Christian novel about a sex-obsessed transgender teen — Teenage life sucks and then it gets worse. This seems to be the message judges of children’s literature are looking for these days, at least if the winners of the Governor General’s and B.C. Lieutenant Governor’s writing contests are anything to go by 
LIFE SITE

Group of Jewish backpackers tortured for hours in Argentinian hostel by locals — Ten Israeli tourists have been robbed, beaten and burned in a four hour-long anti-Semitic attack at a hostel in southern Argentina 
DAILY MAIL

Two murders a day, horrific kidnappings and even the police dare not enter: Inside the ghost towns of Mexico’s "Murder Valley" — one of the deadliest places on earth 
DAILY MAIL

Messianic Jews declare: We are Israel — A group of young Israeli believers in Yeshua (Jesus) have started an online media campaign aimed at driving home that point that they remain an integral part of the Jewish people and state 
ISRAEL TODAY

We Will See Roe v. Wade Overturned In The United States — Alliance Defending Freedom president also discusses assaults on religious liberty

Snarkiness and the New Evangelization — Is there a place for satire? (The link to Pope Benedict’s letter to Piergiorgio Odifreddi on page two is a must read)

Islam: Religion of Peace or Font of Terror? — A conversation with John Esposito of the Georgetown Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding

Muslim leaders accuse British government ministers of being "far right" — as ministers say they are "disappointed" after the Muslim Council of Britain hits out at government request for mosques to help root out "men of hate" (And what should we rightfully expect? A people of different culture, different values and different beliefs who, clearly, have shown their disdain for exerting any sort of control over the more extreme expressions of their religion. How will Britain—or any other country—manage this challenge?) 
DAILY TELEGRAPH

Consecration of traditionalist bishop set to highlight Church of England divisions — No bishop who has previously laid hands on a woman priest or bishop during an ordination or consecration will lay hands on traditionalist Anglican Father Philip North during his own consecration as a bishop. Effectively, it means the Church of England’s Catholic wing is being allowed to preserve the traditionalist apostolic succession, creating a line of male bishops in perpetuity. (I extend my personal invitation for any Anglicans wishing to join the Catholic Church to "come and explore!") 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

"Islam is greatest threat to humanity" — says Hamas leader’s son. The son of a Hamas leader has told of the dangers of Islam during a meeting at a British synagogue 
HAM & HIGH

Christian school shut down because boy didn’t know what a Muslim was? — Additionally, another school labeled "intolerant" when 10-year-old did not know what lesbians "do" when asked by inspectors (Inspectors from hell by the sound of it!) 
CHRISTIAN POST

Catholic Education Service apologizes after bitter row over changes to religious education syllabus
THE TABLET

Thousands sign petition calling for Richard III to have a Catholic burial
CATHOLIC HERALD

Irish government says no referendum on blasphemy before election
CATHOLIC HERALD

Council grants planning for new Perthshire church
COS

What’s happening to the Catholic Church in France? — "But there was something that set him apart from many of the Catholic priests my parents’ generation grew up listening to" 
THE WEEK

France takes battle against radical Islam into schools — France has announced new measures aimed at helping schools combat radical Islam, racism and anti-Semitism 
CHRISTIAN DAILY

Our world of "fairness and equality" — How just 1% of earth’s population owns 50% of the world’s wealth 
THE GUARDIAN

New mosque ban in Padua after Paris attacks — The mayor of Padua has said that no more permits will be granted for the construction of mosques in the northern Italian city in the wake of the Paris terror attacks 
LOCAL

Anti-Islamist group Pegida spreads across Europe — A growing anti-Islamist group which started in Germany, has spread to a number of European countries, including Spain, Norway and Denmark 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

Pius XII helped Jews in Rome – and an Italian historian has the evidence 
CNA

21 Christians held captive by ISIS in Libya, facing torture and unspeakable abuse (I fear that the issue of unspeakable abuse is going to become the "hallmark" of militant Islam, and that we have yet to see the worst. I hope I am wrong) 
GOSPEL HERALD

Charlie Hebdo’s "Survivor" edition, the response: Churches burned, photographer shot in chest, clashes in Jordan, demonstrations in Pakistan 
DAILY MAIL

Saudis to construct "Great Wall of Arabia" — The kingdom of Saud is planning to build a 600 mile wall along its border with Iraq, but will it keep ISIS out? (Some political analysts predict that Saudi Arabia WILL be overrun by Islamists (whether ISIS or some equivalent group) and if/when that happens is when we can expect to see some "interesting" alliances between Arabia, Iran and possibly countries much further north!) 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah aies age 90 — (As mentioned before Christmas, look out for some "important" political changes taking place in Saudi Arabia in the near future) 
ABC

Is Saudi Arabia as bad as ISIS? — Kingdom’s harsh capital punishment rivals terror group, says Middle East news site 
CHRISTIAN POST

Yemen collapsing — Chaos deepens in Yemen as president steps down 
IRISH TIMES

India’s bishops appeal to prime minister: save secular society — (Hopefully what they mean is the preservation of religious freedom) 
CATHOLIC CULTURE

5,000 rally against Charlie Hebdo in Pakistan — Around 5,000 people gathered in Lahore, Pakistan, for the latest rally against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo‘s depiction of the Prophet Muhammad 
TIME

"You may NOT use the word "Allah" to refer to God" — Malaysian government to Catholic newspaper. Malaysia’s top court has ruled that a Catholic newspaper cannot use the word "Allah" to refer to God. (Not quite sure why the 
Herald Malaysia would be wanting to call the God of Christianity "Allah" in the first place?) 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

A local council in the Philippines has passed a resolution naming Pope Francis as a “Superpope” —(Oh dear!) 
CBCP

Top UN official slams Myanmar monk over "whore" comments — The United Nations’ top human rights official has called on Myanmar’s leaders to "unequivocally condemn" an ultra-nationalist Buddhist monk who labeled a visiting UN rapporteur a "whore" at a protest (Actually, the Buddhist monk may have point!) 
CNN

Crashing Chinese stocks as easy as "flicking a switch" — (Why investors need to remind themselves of the global volatility of stocks) 
BLOOMBERG

Republican woman derails abortion ban — Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers of North Carolina led the charge against a 20-week abortion ban that was defeated in the House on Wednesday, saying its mandate that rape must be reported to police prior to obtaining an abortion is too extreme 
TDB

Daughter’s tears over "lesbian" quiz: Ten-year-old left humiliated after being questioned over homosexuality and asked if she felt "trapped in her own body" — (Shameful and disgusting behavior on the part of the "inspectors")
DAILY MAIL