Accra, Ghana (PANA) – Tens of thousands of people on Tuesday swarmed the church of a Nigerian prophet in Accra, Ghana, causing a huge traffic jam on an important road linking east of the capital. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - A new report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), released Tuesday in Washington DC, has identified governments across the globe that are most egregious violators of religious freedom. Full text...

Washington D.C., US (PANA) - The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has condemned the ongoing attacks and retaliations by Muslims and Christians in Nigeria’s violent, religiously and ethnically mixed Middle Belt, saying the incidents have left more than 100 dead and dozens of properties destroyed since March this year. Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) – The European Union (EU) has expressed its deep concern about the situation in Egypt in the wake of the religious violence in Cairo near the Saint-Marc Cathedral during the memorial service of two Christian members of the Coptic Church killed earlier. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has constituted a delegation, to represent Nigeria in London at the formal enthronement of the Rt. Reverend Justin Welby as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the presidency said in a statement here Tuesday. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – Unidentified people on Thursday set fire to an Egyptian Coptic church in Benghazi, Libya, causing damage on the building, the Libyan news agency has reported, quoting an adviser in the Egyptian consulate of the city, Mohamed Kamel. Full text...

Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - Catholic faithfuls in Mauritius Thursday greeted with joy the election of Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new Pope to take over from Benedict XVI, who resigned last month, citing deteriorating health. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, Thursday congratulated Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was elected Pope the day before. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday welcomed the appointment of Pope Francis (Bergoglio) of Argentina as the 266th Pontiff of the Catholic church, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was elected the new Bishop of Rome on Wednesday evening and has taken the name Pope Francis I, as well as Catholics across the world. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - As Nigeria's estimated 20 million Catholics join their counterparts around the world to celebrate the emergence of a new Pope, the Nigerian media Thursday gave a big play to the election of Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as the new head of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. Full text...

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - Thanks to modern communication networks, Tanzanians of all faiths late Wednesday instantly joined the huge crowd at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to welcome, congratulate and pray for newly-elected Pope Francis as successor of retired Benedict XVI. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina has emerged the new Pope (Bishop of Rome), succeeding Pope Benedict XVI who resigned last month. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - A new Pope (Bishop of Rome) has emerged and will soon be named, after a white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Wednesday evening, on the second day of voting by the cardinals. Full text...

Lome, Togo (PANA) - Togolese Catholic faithfuls say they are not "upset" by the sudden resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, according to Bertin Agbobly Atayi, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lomé, the Togolese capital. Full text...

Douala, Cameroon (PANA) - The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI was the main issue being discussed during masses celebrated early Wednesday to mark the start of the Lent for Catholic faithful in Cameroon, PANA reported. Full text...

Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) has described Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation as an honest expression of how he feels at 85. Full text...

Cotonou, Benin (PANA) – Monday's announcement by the Vatican that Pope Benedict XVI will resign on 28 February will not throw the Catholic Church into crisis, according to Rev. Fr. André Quenum, in charge of communications at the archdiocese of Cotonou, Benin. Full text...

Cotonou, Benin (PANA) – Hailing Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign on 28 February, President Boni Yayi of Benin said the head of the Catholic Church worldwide made “valuable intellectual contributions to efforts to solve the numerous problems shaking today’s world. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday applauded the ''exemplary wisdom and courage'' shown by Pope Benedict XVI in his decision to voluntarily relinquish the Papacy Monday, because of his advanced age and growing inability to keep up with the physical and mental demands of the Office. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - Two heavyweight church leaders in South Africa have expressed their gratitude at the role that the ageing Pope Benedict XVI has played while millions are hoping that his successor could come from Africa. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Monday's shock announcement by the Vatican that Pope Benedict XVI will resign 28 Feb will not throw the Catholic Church into crisis, according to the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, Cardinal John Onaiyekan. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - An official Nigerian delegation, headed by Senate President David Mark, will attend the consecration of Nigeria's Archbishop John Onaiyekan as a Cardinal of the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican Saturday. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - Cape Town's Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Tuesday confirmed that the Anglican Church of Southern Africa has consecrated its first woman bishop on the continent. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - A moderate Islamist and former Sudanese Ambassador to the US, Mahdi Ibrahim, has been elected President of the Sudanese Islamic Movement, the official Sudan News agency (SUNA) reported Sunday. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated the Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Justin Welby, on his appointment as the Archbishop of Canterbury and Head of the Anglican Communion worldwide. Full text...

Blantyre, Malawi (PANA) - Malawi's one million Anglicans have welcomed the election of the new Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham. Full text...

Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) – Burundi and the Vatican on Wednesday signed a framework agreement to boost bilateral ties, diplomatic sources told PANA in Bujumbura. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – France on Wednesday expelled Tunisian Mohamed Hammami to his country "for comments openly hostile to the values of the Republic", a communiqué from the French Interior ministry said. Full text...

Lome, Togo (PANA) – The Togolese Muslim community has been urged to commit their faith to the peaceful existence with faithfuls of other religions. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated the Archbishop of the Abuja Diocese of the Catholic Church, Bishop John Onaiyekan, on his elevation to the rank of Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - A five-man Nigerian Government delegation left here Sunday for Jeddah for talks with Saudi authorities over the continued deportation of Nigerian female pilgrims. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria has announced the resumption of the airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, despite the deportation of over 500 female pilgrims by the Saudi authorities, and the detention of over 1,000 because they were not accompanied by female guardians. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria has given Saudi Arabia 24 hours, due to expire Thursday, to resolve the issues surrounding the detention of some Nigerian female Muslim pilgrims in the holy land. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Some 400 Nigerian female pilgrims have been detained by the Saudi authorities for travelling to hajj unaccompanied by their husbands, fathers or brothers, the local Daily Trust newspaper reported Monday. Full text...

Keur Moussa, Senegal (PANA) – The oldest monk in the monastery of Keur Moussa, some 50 kilometres the east of Dakar, the Reverent Father Dominique Catta, was Saturday honoured with the Cross of the French ‘légion d’honneur’ for his research into "sacred" music, PANA reported here. Full text...

Blantyre, Malawi (PANA) - Malawi is a secular state, with a secular Constitution that guarantees freedom of worship as such persons who do not believe in the existence of God can challenge the constitutionality of the Malawi National anthem, a prominent lawyer has said. Full text...

Beau-Bassin, Mauritius (PANA) - The Catholic Episcopal Conference of the Indian Ocean (CEDOI) opened Wednesday in Mauritius with the bishops of La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Seychelles and the Comoros participating, PANA learnt from religious source. Full text...

Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - Gambia's controversial Muslim cleric Bakawsu Fofana has fled to neighbouring Senegal, where he plans to seek refuge following a series of harassment by his country's authorities, a neighbour of the cleric told PANA here Wednesday on the condition of anonymity. Full text...

Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - Agencies in Benin shortlisted to lift pilgrims to the 2012 Hajj have until Saturday to sign agreements on their obligations to ensure a smooth pilgrimage, the minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, Francophonie and Beninese Living Abroad, Mr. Nassirou Arifari Bako, said on Wednesday. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated all Muslims in the country who have successfully concluded this year’s Ramadan fast. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyans will Sunday celebrate Aid El Fitr that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of the Muslim fast, a statement from Mufti Sadok Gharyani says. Full text...

Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The prices of food and non-food items have gone up in The Gambia, less than 48 hours to Eid-el-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan, PANA reported Friday. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday congratulated Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins on his formal installation as the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos on Saturday, following his appointment to the position by Pope Benedict XVI. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the country's Muslims to offer special prayers for peace, stability and progress in the country, as this year's Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Mali's Muslim community Friday began the fasting month of Ramadan after the moon was sighted Thursday evening in several parts of the country, according to the National Moons Sighting Commission. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan Muslims Friday joined their counterparts around the world to begin the month-long Ramadan fasting, after the sighting of the moon in the north African country. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigerian Muslims Friday joined their counterparts around the world to begin the 30-day Ramadan fasting. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The spiritual head of Nigerian Muslims, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Tuesday met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa over the security situation in the country. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, has called on Libyans to be tolerant, forgiving and to shun hatred with a view to building the new Libya on tolerance and respect for human rights. Full text...