The southwestern city of chengdu retaliation to be ordered closure of chinas consulate in houston. Im phil gayle welcome to the program to the highest the fia has hosted muslim friday prayers for the 1st time in more than 1000 years based on both landmark was built 1500 years ago as a christian cathedral before becoming a mosque and then a museum that 2 weeks ago president urged one issued a controversial decree returning it to use as a mascot of the court after a court a no thats museum status. Prayers led by a president on a friday that will become unforgettable in turkey thousands of muslims gathered in worship for the 1st time in 86 years. Oh the iconic buildings journey through time from Orthodox Christian cathedral to muslim mosque to museum for many here and historic wrong has been righted. But no one is young and dont know im not a town. We have been waiting for higher sophia to open as a mosque for decades for decades we said that the chains will break and highest of here will
Have the latest on president are the ones controversial decision to change the world famous monuments back into a mosque. Im Claire Richards and welcome to the show we begin in the u. S. Where a Government Order forcing the closure of the chinese consulate in Houston Texas has just taken effect a convoy of vehicles was seen outside the building and there are reports that a group of men who appear to be u. S. Officials are forcing open the back door of the u. S. Alleges that chinese agents tried to steal data from medical facilities in texas china calls the claims of malicious slander its responded by ordering the u. S. To close its consulate in the southwestern city of chengdu the escalating diplomatic spat comes as relations between the 2 countries are at their lowest point in decades. It was less a question of if china would retaliate but rather how and the answer is the u. S. Has been told to close its conscience and chain to. Raising the stakes yet further and this diplomatic stand
Im sumi so much going to thank you for joining us turkeys highest Administrative Court has issued a ruling that paves the way for the government to convert istanbuls from the museum back into a mosque the willing and nelda 934. 00 government decree that turned the unesco World Heritage site and is that bulls most iconic landmark into a museum but turkish president rajapaksa one push to restore its status as a mosque he said that International Pressure to keep it a museum was a violation of turkeys National Sovereignty the Russian Orthodox church has called the move on acceptable. Lets go to istanbul where did jones is standing by for us hi dorian tell us more about whats behind this decision. Well president heard one has been flirting with his idea ever since he came to power in the early 20 years ago but why now well the Church Economy is in deep trouble very very badly hit by the cove in 1000 epidemic and i think this move is seen as very much trying to try to change the conversation
25 years later. Taking away even little boys from the age of 8 even 19 year olds. From survivors of the massacre will never forget the pain no the brutality 8000 muslims were killed just those. And thousands of tens of millions of viewers now the biggest t. V. Network in the philippines is silenced lawmakers. Franchise which regularly clashed with president bush. Come to the program turkeys president has announced that. One of the architectural one does. The world will be reopened for muslim worship his declaration comes off the turkeys high as that minister to court revoked the main monument status as a museum clearing the way for the 6th century byzantine building to be turned back into a mosque dozens of people have gathered outside the high as a fear to celebrate the decision United States russia raise and unesco all expressed concern at of the ruling fearing the decision could undermine the universal value of the site im now joined by news dorian jones in istanbul whats behind thi
Costas franchise which regularly clashed with president would bring to the test. And remembering the victims. Lists represent such genocide as 25 years later the w hears from survivors of the massacre who will never forget the pain no brutality of the some weeks when 8000 muslims were killed. Welcome to the program turkeys president has announced that is tumbles high as a fear one of the architectural wonders of the world will be reopened for muslim worship is declaration comes off to turkeys highest of minister to court we vote the monument status as a museum clearing the way for 6 the 6th century byzantine building to be turned back into a mosque dozens of people have gathered outside the high as a fear to celebrate the decision greece of the Russian Orthodox church of criticize the change while the United States and unesco earlier against altering its status. Im now joined by news dorian jones in. Whats behind this rededication. Well ever since president heard one we came to power a