Just two hours after army tanks rolled out onto the streets of Harare in November, Father Mukonori got a call asking him to meet with the army’s generals.

The establishment and free exercise clauses prohibit the government from impeding or requiring observance of any religious holiday, including Christmas.

A federal judge wrote that it is unlikely church officials would be able to prove that their constitutional rights were being violated.

The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference issued a statement urging calm, restraint and patience during what they called “most delicate times.”

“We were expecting there to be some pain with the sale of @LAWeekly,” wrote editor-in-chief Mara Shalhoup online. “But we weren’t expecting the Red Wedding.”

Britain and Ireland both want to prevent the return of a “hard border” around Northern Ireland, but that goal is difficult to square with leaving the European Union.