Bangladesh sends back boatloads of Muslims fleeing Myanmar sectarian violence DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) _ Bangladesh turned away three boats carrying 1,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in neighboring Myanmar, bringing to 1,500 the number of refugees blocked in recent days. "They have been chased away," police official Jahangir Alam said by phone from Saint Martins Island in the Bay of Bengal after the three boats attempted to approach the shore of the island. "We are keeping our eyes open so that nobody can enter Bangladesh illegally." Violence between Buddhists and minority Muslims in western Myanmar have left at least 12 people dead and hundreds of homes burned since Friday. Bangladesh earlier said it sent back 11 boats with about 500 Rohingya Muslims aboard in the past three days. Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said at a news conference in the capital, Dhaka, that it was not in Bangladesh's interest to accept any refugees because the impoverished country's resources already are strained. ___ Suspected gang member charged in Venice murder of youth pastor LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Los Angeles County prosecutors say they have charged a suspected gang member with gunning down a youth pastor in Venice. Deputy District Attorney Teresa Magno says 28-year-old Kevin Dwayne Green was charged Tuesday with the murder of Oscar Duncan and a separate count of second-degree robbery for an earlier incident. Green is accused of being in a group of men who drove up to Duncan and his girlfriend, jeering her on June 4. Prosecutors say the assailants shouted a gang name before firing a single shot into the 23-year-old Duncan's head, killing him. Duncan was a youth pastor at Greater Zion Church in Compton. Green was also charged in a May 21 robbery. If convicted he faces a minimum of 50 years to life in prison. ___ Vatican reports important discovery of early church father Origen, 29 unpublished homilies VATICAN CITY (AP) _ The Vatican newspaper reported Tuesday that 29 previously unpublished homilies said to be the work of one of the most important and prolific early church fathers have been discovered in a German library. The 3rd Century theologian Origen of Alexandria is considered to have played a critical role in the development of Christian thought. Pope Benedict XVI, himself a theologian, dedicated two of his 2007 weekly church teaching sessions to the importance of Origen's life and work. Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said that despite Origen's importance, few of his original texts remain in part because he was condemned by the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople in 553. The newspaper said an Italian scholar, Marina Molin Pradel, discovered the homilies in the Bavarian State Library in April while reading an 11th Century Byzantine code. She noticed that some homilies were similar to a Latin translation of Origen's work. After further study, the newspaper said, she concluded the originals were his. ___ Protesters agree to leave Mass. church after order by Vatican high court HOLYOKE, Mass. (AP) _ Protesters who have occupied a closed Roman Catholic church in Holyoke for a year say they're ending their round-the-clock vigil. The decision by the protesters at Mater Dolorosa came after an order by the Vatican high court, which also agreed to consider an appeal the protesters hope will reopen the church as a worship site. The group voted to end the vigil last week, but didn't announce it until this week. The protesters say they don't expect the diocese to sell the church, remove sacred objects or take down its steeple during Vatican deliberations. The diocese cited debt and an unsafe steeple when closing the church. Parishioners refused to leave after the final Mass last June. They say the steeple needs just minor repairs and parishioners could have resolved the debt. ___ Thieves threaten tradition at 210-year-old western Pa. church by stealing copper kettles Continued... |