INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Russia joins in Syrian war, priest in Poland challenges church on homosexuality, hospital in Afghanistan hit by US-NATO airstrikes

BY SAMANTHA PANGRAZIO
STAFF WRITER

Russia joins war in Syria

In its first military engagement outside its borders since the end of the Cold War, Russia began implementing air strikes in Syria last week. Russia claims its aircrafts have hit ISIS command centers and military vehicles, but military intelligence in the West suggested only one in 20 Russian attacks had ISIS as its aim. Non-ISIS rebels as well as civilians in Syria have been victims in the air strikes, reported the BBC.

For further reading: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34435077

 

Polish priest challenges church on homosexuality

Senior priest at the Vatican, Krysztof Charamsa of Poland, announced on the eve of the synod that he wanted to challenge the Catholic Church’s view of homosexuality. According to the BBC, Monsignor Charamsa said he was “in a relationship and was ‘happy and proud’ of his identity.” In an interview, he said, “It’s time the Church opened its eyes and realized that offering gay believers total abstinence from a life of love is inhuman.” The Vatican has since stripped Charamsa of his doctrinal responsibilities and called his statements “very serious and irresponsible.”

For further reading: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34432701

 

Afghanistan hospital hit by US-NATO air strikes

In the city of Kunduz, an air strike killed 19 civilians and injured at least 37 who were in a hospital. According to the BBC, both NATO and the U.S. military reaffirmed their positions on protecting civilians in the region while fighting ISIS militants. The Afghan interior ministry said Taliban militants were hiding in the hospital. The Taliban denied any of its soldiers were in the hospital and described the attack as the result of “the barbaric American forces.”

For further reading: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34435238