Would-be bomber fails to detonate in Indonesian church

JAKARTA — Police in western Indonesia say a would-be suicide bomber failed to detonate explosives in a packed church during Sunday Mass (Aug 28). 
National police spokesman Maj Gen. Boy Rafli Amar says the assailant left a bench and ran toward a priest 
at the altar but a bomb in his backpack apparently did not detonate and left the attacker injured.

Mr Amar says the man kept running toward the priest with a burning backpack as the congregation chased and captured him. 
The motive of the attack is not clear.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has suffered a spate of deadly attacks by Muslim militants since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people. AP

Chinese government shuts down underground churches to 'transform thoughts' of Christians

CHINESE authorities are clamping down on underground churches and threatening to “transform the thoughts” of Christians who do not comply. 

The communist party strictly monitors religion with Christians expected to attend state-approved churches.

But unverified reports found on Chinese social media show a wave of underground churches have begun to thrive as Christians turn their back on the China Christian Council.
Government officials are said to be ready to crack down on unregistered churches ordering priests to report to the council. 

According to leaked reports, Chinese Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping emphasised the importance of the state handling religious matters in a recent meeting.
Express.co.uk understands if unregistered churches are not willing to be guided by the council they will be put on record by the secretive regime under new government proposals to deal with unregistered churches.
In a chilling order “if unregistered churches are not willing to be managed by the government or guided by China Christian Council, the government shall guide and transform their thoughts”.

Christians are expected to attend state-approved churches

A wave of underground churches have begun to thrive

Chinese authorities are also expected to take a hard line on “extreme religious thoughts” and “external influences”.
Open Doors UK, a Christian advocacy charity, said: “Jinping reiterated that China shall maintain various religions independent from external influences, avoid being influenced by extreme religious thoughts and assimilate religions with the socialism with Chinese characteristics.”
Authorities in Zhejiang Province have also reportedly banned religious activity in hospital.
Priests have been forbidden from praying for the sick and dying in a Protestant hospital. 

Members of an underground church watch a service on a video screen at an apartment in Beijing

Under the new rules patients are also banned from praying and reading the bible.
In February, Pastor Bao Guohua and his wife, Xing Wenxiang, were sentenced in Zhejiang Province to 14 and 12 years in prison, respectively, for leading a Christian congregation that was opposing a government campaign to remove crosses from the top of churches.
The crackdown comes just weeks after parents were threatened with legal action if they sent their children to a church in the Guizhou province.
Under Chinese law it is illegal for minors to receive a religious education. 

Chinese authorities are also expected to take a hard line on “extreme religious thoughts”

And the 57,000 churches of the state-controlled Three-Self movement also forbids teachers and soldiers from becoming Christians.
The United States has criticised China for its restrictions on religious practices that are deemed a threat to the ruling Communist Party.
In a scathing report, the US said: “Over the past year, the Chinese government has stepped up its persecution of religious groups deemed a threat to the state’s supremacy and maintenance of a ‘socialist society.’ Christian communities have borne a significant brunt of the oppression, with numerous churches bulldozed and crosses torn down. 

The ruling Chinese Communist Party is officially atheist

“The government continued to accuse individuals and religious organisations of engaging in so-called ‘cult’ activities. Underground house churches are particularly
vulnerable to these accusations.”
The ruling Chinese Communist Party is officially atheist with more than half of China’s 1.4billion population not associated with any religion or belief.
Those following one of China’s five officially recognised religions – Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism – and affiliated with one of the corresponding state-sanctioned “patriotic religious associations” are protected in theory from the government’s crackdown on religion.

Wingsuit pilot live-streams his own death on Facebook

Wingsuit pilot live-streams his own death on Facebook A man in a wingsuit live-streamed his own death when he jumped from a mountain in the Swiss Alps. Armin Schmieder, from Italy, can be seen preparing to jump in the wingsuit from a mountain top in Kandersteg in Switzerland. The 28-year-old tells his viewers ‘Today you fly with me’ as he zips up and dons his helmet. He then waves goodbye to the camera and pockets his phone before making the big leap. Soon after, a shout can be heard, followed by the sound of an impact and cow bells. Wingsuit pilot shares his own death live on Facebook Wingsuit pilot shares his own death live on Facebook Unable to believe they had just seen what had happened, people posted on Facebook saying telling him to ‘write or say something’. Bern cantonal police later confirmed the body of a 28-year-old Italian citizen was found near Kandersteg, according to local newspaper, The Zurich Daily Blick. A friend of Armin later told Blick he was an ‘experienced skydiver’, but had only been using wingsuits for a year.

Teenager died from lovebite that caused stroke

Teenager died from lovebite that caused stroke A teenager has died after suffering a stroke believed to have been caused by a love bite given to him by his girlfriend. Reports in Mexico suggest that Julio Macia Gonzalez had sudden convulsions and later died. Experts believe the love bite formed a blood clot, which travelled to the 17-year-old’s brain. His girlfriend, who is 24, has vanished, according to reports, and Julio’s family is blaming her for his death. Love bites – which are caused by one person sucking on another’s skin and bursting blood vessels – can be dangerous in exceptional cases. A 44-year-old woman in New Zealand was left partially paralysed after a blood clot travelled to her heart. On that occasion, however, she is reported to have made a full recovery.

Italy earthquake: Mass funeral held for 35 victims amidst tears and anguish as death toll rises to 291

Survivors, family, friends consumed by grief bury the first 35 victims of the earthquake in Ascoli Piceno, the capital of the Marche region. Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Senate President Pietro Grasso, Lower Chamber President Laura Boldrini and Italian Premier Matteo Renzi also attended the funeral service. Dozens of flower-covered caskets were lined up in a gymnasium as people bid farewell to loved ones, kneeling, crying inconsolably and placing their hands on the caskets. Hundreds more stood silently outside, others hugged each other as Giovanni D'Ercole, the Bishop of Ascoli, implored them not to lose faith. "Don't be afraid to scream your suffering, but do not lose courage. Together we will rebuild our houses and churches. together, above all, we will give life back to our communities...the village bells will ring once again." The death toll in the 6.2-magnitude earthquake stands at 291 people as worst-hit town, Amatrice had a total of 230 residents and tourists dead. At least 387 people are in hospital. Three more bodies were pulled from the town's Hotel Roma overnight and there are fears yet more bodies will be recovered. Italian magistrates have opened investigations into some of the incidents. "What happened cannot just be considered fate,' said prosecutor Giuseppe Saieva, who is leading the probe. 'If these buildings had been constructed like they are in Japan then they would not have collapsed," he told La Repubblica Newspaper. At least 16 foreigners died, 10 Romanians, 3 Britons and one each from Canada, El Salvador and Spain. More photos...

How Michelle Obama’s involvement in #BringBackOurGirls frustrated rescue of Chibok girls — Aisha Wakil

Lawyer with the National Human Rights Commission and wife of a judge in Borno State judiciary, Aisha Wakil, who was recently declared wanted by the Nigerian Army, had an interview with Premiumtimes where she said the involvement of the wife of the US President, Michelle Obama in the Bring Back Our Girls Campaign frustrated the rescue of the abducted Chibok school girls. Excerpts from the interview below What do you think is the prospect of rescuing the rest of the Chibok girls? Assuming I had clue that they were going to kidnap the girls, I would have been in Chibok sleeping. Then I would have been in that hall and everybody would be kidnapped. I didn’t know about it. When I heard about it, I told the government to calm down. They should keep quiet. I was able to pass the message across. I said ‘please start releasing them’. It did not take time before some of the girls were released. So by the time I knew it, the whole thing was in the media. Boko Haram now called me and said mama we are no more releasing. The Chibok girls have become diamond and gold. I asked why? They said even Obama’s wife is carrying ‘Bring Back Our Girls’. They now knew that they are very important as the whole attention was focused on them. After that I became really disturbed. I started tracing them in the bush to see whether I could get to where the girls were. I slept in the bush. Then later they told me where to come and pick 50 of them. I was heading there with Dr. Steven Davis and one general. We slept in that bush. So by the time we got there, civilian JTF alerted them in the bush and was chasing them in the bush and they now took off. I went there with the ambulance. They called me in front of the general and requested that I should come to a certain location the following day and pick 50 girls. They said we should have 14 ambulance buses on standby. I said ‘okay’. They also told me to come with shai which means tea with milk and put plenty sugar. This is because some of the girls were very weak and one with a broken hand. So Dr. Davies and that high-ranking general now decided to go with University of Maiduguri vans and some doctors and nurses. They warned me never to come with a military and if I do they would slaughter me in front of the military. So we were making the preparation. The general with us received a message on his telephone: “Chibok girls sighted.” So we rushed. By the time we got there civilian JTF had seen them and gave them a hot chase. By the time we got there they had driven them too far. I was calling on the telephone but their lines were switched off. It was later in the night I got them and they asked me: mama what happened? Did you tell anyone? I said ‘no I did not’. Civilian JTF chased them and there was a massacre. They killed so many of them —up to 400— that time. We lost them, We slept in that bush with the military and commander of the military know me and everything. They were so happy that I could take this risk. Early morning, they called me and asked ‘mama where are you?’ I said ‘I am somewhere’. They now said the roads were dangerous that we should pass through Monguno on our way back to Maiduguri. That was how we lost that one. If they had not chased them. If they had not sighted them we could have just finished this thing. Those 50 girls would have been in our custody. everything would have been over by now. So in your opinion, President Obasanjo’s comment that the girls could not longer be rescued was greatly exaggerated? Yes. It was exaggerated. When he made that statement, they called me. You know they read everything —they read a lot. They go on the Internet and read a lot of things. They called me and said mama go to the newspapers. Tell them they are alive. I said why don’t you come so that two of us will say that they are alive? He said ‘no mama. Please do this. Nigeria will curse us. So I now came out in the newspaper and narrated story saying they are alive. Nobody believed it. Now I kept on pushing them. What they want is proof of life. So when we get there, I will cross the bridge of showing the proof of life. So it is very easy, What are they doing with them? Even though they are married come out with your wives we will settle you.

Photos: RRS nabs Chairman of pickpockets in Oshodi, 21 others

The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, have arrested a self-acclaimed Chairman of pickpockets in Oshodi, Ibrahim Kasali, and 21 other suspects alleged to be involved in stealing and robbing innocent members of public in the area. The raiding, which took place at about 4:30 a.m. and ended at 6:35 am, early hours of Friday August 26th, 2016, witnessed the operatives combing Mosafejo, Bolade, Oshodi Oke, and Oshodi Under Bridge, arresting the hoodlums and social miscreants waiting for early rush to pickpocket passers-by and passengers. The suspect, who is popularly known as Ibrahim Babangida of Oshodi, was nabbed during the operation while being chased by passengers of a bus which he boarded to pickpocket. It was gathered that Kasali is feared by his colleagues for his ruthlessness and popularity. Some of his colleagues earlier arrested gave him out as their leader, and that he is the one that goes around to collect items stolen or snatched from passers-by to sell and share the proceeds to all of them. According to his confession, he has been to prison four times while one of his accomplices also arrested, Ibrahim Yusuph, 18, from Ogun State, was just out of prison for the eighth time. Upon completion of preliminary screening, four out of 22 arrested suspects, who could provide satisfactory information about their identity, were released. Amongst the suspects arrested were, Bello Fatai, Oladimeji Ajisafe, Hassan Adeyemi, Jubril Olamilekan and Babalola Ahmed. Others were, Junior Vincent, Rilwan Oyinsola, Sadiq Taofeek, Kazeem Taiwo, Mutiu Rasheed, Ayodele Adeeko and Sola Omonije to mention but a few. While confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, re-assured the people of Lagos, of maximum security in place in the state, adding that the suspects would face the full wrath of law.