LITTLE ROCK — QUOTE OF THE DAY
“There’s no country on earth that would tolerate missiles raining down on its citizens from outside its borders. We are fully supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself.”
President Obama, on Israel’s missile attacks against Palestinian fighters in Gaza. Article, 1A
Thousands mourn Hindu extremist
MUMBAI, India - Hundreds of thousands of supporters have filled the streets of Mumbai for the funeral of Bal Thackeray, a Hindu extremist leader linked to waves of mob violence against Muslims and migrant workers in India.
Nearly 20,000 policemen were on hand Sunday because of the violent history of the group. But the mourners appeared calm and marched orderly as Thackeray’s funeral procession made its way to a park where the body will be kept for his supporters to pay their last respects before it is cremated later Sunday.
Thackeray, an 86-year-old powerful, rabble-rousing orator for Shiv Sena - which means Shiva’s Army - died on Saturday after cardio-respiratory arrest. He had been ill for several weeks.
The city of Mumbai was formerly known as Bombay.
Egypt enthrones new Coptic pope
CAIRO - The new pope of Egypt’s Orthodox Coptic church was enthroned on Sunday in an elaborate ceremony lasting nearly four hours, attended by the nation’s Muslim prime minister and a host of Cabinet ministers and politicians.
Pope Tawadros II, 60, was elected Nov. 4, but the official enthronement ceremony was held Sunday at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo. He replaced Shenouda III, who died in March after leading the ancient church for 40 years.
The packed cathedral repeatedly burst into applause as the ceremony progressed. The ceremony’s climax came when the papal crown was placed on Tawadros’ head before he sat on the throne of St. Mark, the Coptic church’s founding saint.
Tawadros did not address the televised ceremony, but had a brief speech read on his behalf by one of the church’s leaders in which he pledged to work for the good of Egypt, with its Muslims and Christians alike.
Egypt’s Christians make up about 10 percent of the nation’s estimated 83 million people.
Catholic Pope Benedict XVI sent a message of congratulations to Tawadros. Vatican Radio said he expressed hope that relations between the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church will continue to grow both “in a fraternal spirit of collaboration” as well as “through a deepening of the theological dialogue.”
Bahrain accuses Shiites of protest
MANAMA, Bahrain - Bahrain said it has taken legal action against some Shiite worshippers accused of mixing anti-government protests with annual religious ceremonies.
The crackdowns during the Shiite commemorations building toward Ashura - marking a seventh-century battle in Islam’s early decades - could cause further tensions between Shiite religious leaders and the Gulf nation’s Sunni monarchy.
Opposition groups and others, including the U.S. State Department, have strongly denounced a government order last month to outlaw protest gatherings. The move seeks to quell a 21-month uprising by Bahrain’s majority Shiites seeking a greater political voice.
A government statement Sunday said “a number” of Shiite religious figures have been referred to the public prosecutor for delivering political sermons or leading anti-government chants.
Front Section, Pages 5 on 11/19/2012