ILLINOIS
Muslims making push to join McDonald's fries settlement
The Dallas Morning News
"Ancient religions, beef-besmirched french fries and a Mc-million-dollar settlement will tangle in a Chicago courtroom next week. At stake is more than $12 million that Ronald McDonald's corporate ringmasters have agreed to pay for not telling people for more than a decade that a "natural flavoring" in their potatoes owes more to cows than spuds."

MINNESOTA
Jesse Ventura caters to atheists
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, who has drawn heat throughout his term for refusing to declare an official day of prayer in Minnesota, angered Republicans and a conservative interest group when he granted a request for Minnesota atheists and declared Thursday Indivisible Day."

BOTSWANA
Exorcism Held At Girls Boarding School
African Eye News Service
"NELSPRUIT -- A girls boarding school in Botswana was forced to seek the church's help this week after mysterious fires destroyed five buildings and after reports that a tokoloshe (goblin) was harassing the girls."

CHINA
Chinese students turn to Confucius for exam luck
Reuters
"BEIJING -- With just one full day before university entrance exams kick off in China, scores of nervous students are turning to the ancient philosopher Confucius for a critical dose of inspiration."

Fake Harry Potter Book Hits China
The Associated Press
Roll away, "Sorcerer's Stone"! Step aside, "Prisoner of Azkaban"! Harry Potter and Leopard-Walk-Up-To-Dragon are here! Chinese fans of the British boy wizard with the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead are snapping up the fifth book in the wildly popular series. There's just one problem. It's fake written by a Chinese author for a Chinese audience.

ENGLAND
BBC World draws China's ire with Falun Gong footage
Reuters
"LONDON -- Chinese authorities have stopped transmission of the British Broadcasting Corporation's World Service Television channel following a news item on Sunday night mentioning the Falun Gong movement, the BBC has said."
Other News Agencies:
China blacks out BBC, BBC News

GERMANY
Berlin court bans Muslim teacher's headscarf
Reuters
"BERLIN -- A Berlin court ruled on Thursday that an Afghan school teacher may not wear her headscarf during class because it would compromise a strict code of neutrality in German schools."

JAPAN
Death cultist's appeal results in lighter sentence
Mainichi Daily News
"A member of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult Friday had his sentence for an attempted murder conviction reduced by three years because he had apologized to his victim."
Other News Agencies:
High court reduces sentence for convicted Aum bomber, The Japan Times
High court cuts sentence for Aum sect member to 15 years in jail, Reuters

LEBANON
Farrakhan in Lebanon to combat pro-Israel lobby
Reuters
"BEIRUT -- Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan met Lebanon's president on Thursday on a regional tour the controversial black activist hopes will ease violence in the Middle East and help counter Israeli influence on U.S. policy."

NIGERIA
Five Cultists Killed At Ondo Poly
Vanguard
"LAGOS -- At least five student cult members were killed on Wednesday while attempting to invade the Ondo State Polytechnic Owo, to allegedly establish the headquarters of a cultist group in the institution."
Other News Agencies:
Nigerian students burn rivals to death, BBC News

UNN to Remain Shut
P.M. News
"LAGOS -- It is unlikely that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) shut down last month would be re-opened soon, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Gini Mbanefoh, has said. The institution was closed down following the killing of five people by suspected cult members."

Cult Scare in Benue Varsity
This Day
"LAGOS -- Authorities of Benue State University (BSU) are now gripped with fear following reports that suspended student cultists are on the prowl to launch fresh attack on the institution."

DISCLAIMER: Sect News Daily is not responsible for the content of any external links or news items written for any newspaper or news agency, nor are we responsible for the length of time external links are available online. Although Sect News Daily is intended for an evangelical audience interested in current events, we do not promote any specific denomination or church. This is to prevent us from unintentionally promoting a group or a group's teachings that may be in conflict with the spiritual beliefs of the staff of Sect News Daily. Sect News Daily does not regard all religious or spiritual groups listed in news items as cults. Some articles are posted to keep the evangelical Christian informed as to events in Christendom.