Religion in the Daily News
- Cardinal Koovakad's Azerbaijan visit strengthens interreligious dialogue 19 June 2026 15 h 48 min Vatican News Cardinal George Koovakad, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, met with President Ilham Aliyev and religious leaders in Baku during his 15–19 June visit, underlining the importance of tolerance, multiculturalism, and continued …
- Trump 2.0 puts religious liberty back on offense 19 June 2026 15 h 46 min The Blaze One underreported achievement of President Trump’s first administration was the support the Justice Department provided to religious-liberty litigants. During those years, the federal government filed statements of interest and friend-of-the-court briefs …
- Alleged forced conversion of minor boy in Kodagu triggers outrage, two arrested 19 June 2026 15 h 43 min The Hans India Madikeri : An alleged case of forced religious conversion involving a nine-year-old boy has sparked outrage in Kodagu district, with police launching an investigation and arresting two persons in connection with the incident. According to a complaint filed …
- MP seeks new offense for theft of religious artifacts 19 June 2026 15 h 29 min The Catholic Register With his newly tabled Bill C-290, Conservative MP Garnett Genuis seeks to amend the Criminal Code so that the theft of property with religious or cultural significance is treated by law enforcement with the same gravity as artifacts of high monetary worth …
- Teachers make stand against Tommy Robinson Oxford visit 19 June 2026 15 h 29 min This is Oxfordshire Members of the Oxfordshire of the NASUWT teachers’ union joined the counter-protesters on Cornmarket Street. The group brandished their union’s banner reading “Education and Equality” at the demonstrations against his participation at the Oxford Union …
- Anti-Christian Hate Crimes Explode Across Europe as Churches Come Under Attack 19 June 2026 15 h 16 min Charisma News Attacks on churches are becoming an increasingly visible feature of life in the Western world, exposing a growing hostility toward Christianity that many leaders can no longer ignore. Christian businesses are facing harassment. Houses of worship are being …
- Which Bible passages are in Texas’ proposed student reading list? Here’s what the sections reveal. 19 June 2026 15 h 05 min Religion News Service (RNS) — The Texas State Board of Education is preparing to vote next week on requiring schoolchildren in the state to read about a dozen Bible passages and religious stories, stepping into the long-running debate over religion’s — and specifically …
- Faith Matters: Happy Pride 19 June 2026 14 h 38 min New Haven Independent - Connecticut “Faith Matters” features pieces written by local religious figures. I began serving in the United Methodist Church as clergy in 2008, the year Connecticut achieved marriage equality. Soon after, a lesbian couple that had found a home in our church got …
- Welsh Police Backtrack on Islamic ‘Blasphemy Law’ Amid Free Speech Backlash 19 June 2026 14 h 21 min Middle East Forum South Wales Police has shelved guidance instructing officers to record “anti-Islam” conversations that go beyond “legitimate” discussion of Islam, after legal threats and a complaint to Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The backlash …
- Israel invades properties belonging to the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and unilaterally changes the administrative status of Hebron in Palestinian territory 19 June 2026 14 h 13 min Zenit (ZENIT News / Jerusalem, 06.18.2026).- Two developments separated by only a few days have reignited concerns about the future of religious heritage and the fragile status quo surrounding holy places in Jerusalem and the West Bank. While the Greek …
- Detained Chinese pastors granted Bibles after legal challenge 19 June 2026 14 h 12 min Premier Christianity News Two imprisoned pastors from Beijing Zion Church, one of China's largest house churches, have been granted access to Bibles in detention after their lawyers secured an unusual concession from authorities in Beihai, Guangxi Province. Pastor Ezra Jin …
- Inside New York’s Most Talked-About Spiritual Groups 19 June 2026 13 h 52 min 98.1 The Hawk - New York New York has always been a place where different ideas, beliefs, and ways of life come together. From big cities to quiet rural towns, people have long been drawn here to explore faith, community, and personal growth in their own way. And while many of …
- Al-Khateeb says Saudi tourism overcame regional disruptions, eyes accelerated growth through 2030 19 June 2026 13 h 43 min Saudi Gazette ROME — Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said the Kingdom's tourism sector remained resilient despite regional geopolitical tensions that disrupted travel across the Middle East, crediting strong domestic tourism and religious travel for …
- Religious, civil society groups set June 28 anti-corruption EDSA protest 19 June 2026 13 h 03 min Rappler This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article. The coalition is calling for an end to corruption, the passage of an anti-political dynasty law, and the implementation of electoral reforms MANILA, …
- Thai Catholic schools blend tradition and faith in annual Wai Khru observance 19 June 2026 12 h 56 min LiCAS News Catholic schools across Thailand observed the annual Wai Khru ceremony this June, blending traditional Thai rites honoring teachers with Christian worship in predominantly Buddhist communities. While the Wai Khru ceremony is observed annually in schools …
- Afghanistan Shia Commission: There is no restriction in holding Muharram ceremonies 19 June 2026 12 h 39 min Shafaqna English Shafaqna English- A consultative meeting of the Afghan Shia Supreme Commission was held with the participation of scholars, religious leaders, and officials from cultural institutions. During the meeting, it was emphasized that there are no restrictions on …
- Indigenous rights, war and religion in Myanmar 19 June 2026 12 h 25 min Union of Catholic Asian News Your last trip was to Karen state, where you have a very strong relationship with the leadership of the Kawthoolei Army (KTLA). How are they faring since their declaration of independence in Karen state in January? Kawthoolei is the traditional name for …
- Azerbaijan, Holy See strengthens interreligious dialogue 19 June 2026 12 h 09 min AzerNews Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office, met with George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See, and Father Laurent Basanese, Secretary of the Commission for Religious …
- What a Pocketful of Metal Reveals About Afghanistan’s Forgotten Empires 19 June 2026 10 h 24 min New Lines Magazine The coins are smaller than I expected. That’s my first thought as the curator carefully places the velvet-lined tray on the table in the British Museum’s study room. I’ve waited three weeks for this appointment, filling out forms, explaining my research …
- Which Bible passages are in Texas’ proposed student reading list? Here’s what the selections reveal. 19 June 2026 10 h 20 min The Gilmer Mirror - Texas By Ellie Ashby, The Texas Tribune June 19, 2026 The State Board of Education is preparing to vote next week on requiring Texas schoolchildren to read about a dozen Bible passages and religious stories, stepping into the long-running debate over religion’s …
- HJS appeals Hindu organizations to celebrate June 19th as ‘National Gharwapsi Day’ 19 June 2026 10 h 16 min Sanatan Prabhat 350 years completed since Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj performed gharwpasi of converts (Gharwapsi means re-entry into Hindu Dharma) While getting the purification done by the first commander Netaji Palkar, the founder of Hindavi Swarajya, Chhatrapati …
- As Hindu majority opposes building a church near the temple, the administration must listen : Madras High Court 19 June 2026 10 h 16 min Sanatan Prabhat Interim stay given to construction of a church next to 100-year-old 'Mariyamman' temple in Coimbatore Chennai (Tamil Nadu) – The Madras High Court has granted an interim stay on the construction of a church near the 100-year-old ‘Mariyamman’ temple …
- Here Are the Receipts 19 June 2026 10 h 13 min The Independent - California Meet Rakhi Israni, who was born into a family that in 1986, helped to build the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp under the banner of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America; part of the American network of India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the paramilitary …
- When Trust Becomes a Commodity: How political islam networks target gulf capital 19 June 2026 10 h 08 min MyJoyOnline A screen grab shows black smoke and fire at Omdurman market in Omdurman, Sudan, May 15, 2023. Omdurman neighbors Sudan's capital, Khartoum. (Handout via Reuters) In a world where money and investments flow across continents within seconds, competition …
- Should RSS be Accountable to People of India? 19 June 2026 8 h 41 min NewsClick After the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-trained pracharak (propagator) Nathuram Godse pumped three bullets in to the lean chest of ‘Father of the Nation’, Mahatma Gandhi, because Gandhi held that the nation belongs to people of all religions, Godse and …
- The Parallels between Wahhabism and Calvinist Protestantism 19 June 2026 8 h 36 min Muslim Skeptic Both Wahhabism and Calvinist Protestantism sought to return to the original message of their religion, as understood by the earliest generations (i.e., early Church, Salaf). Both movements rejected additional teachings which had accumulated by the late …
- Chinese Police Raid Early Rain Covenant Church, Detain 33 Members 19 June 2026 8 h 33 min Vision Times Early Rain Covenant Church, also known as Qiuyu Covenant Church, is one of China’s most prominent unregistered Protestant congregations. Since its founding in 2008, it has operated independently of the Chinese Communist Party’s state-controlled religious …
- Fewer Americans believe faith is good for the country 19 June 2026 8 h 28 min Christian Today (Photo: Getty/iStock) A new opinion poll from Gallup has suggested that while most Americans believe their country would benefit if more people were religious, the proportion has declined. Nearly two thirds (65 per cent) felt that more religious …
- Benedict Beckeld on Oikophobia, Islam, and the Crisis of Western Identity | Quillette Cetera Episode 66 19 June 2026 7 h 46 min Quillette What does it mean for a civilisation to turn against itself? In this episode, Quillette's Zoe Sankey speaks with philosopher and author Benedict Beckeld — whose 2019 Quillette essay on oikophobia remains one of our site's most popular pieces — …
- AFRICA/NIGERIA - Christian and Muslim religious leaders concerned about increasing insecurity 19 June 2026 7 h 40 min Fides Abuja – “As we wake up every day, we hear news of atrocities by Boko Haram, bandits and all sorts of criminals all over the country,” said Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos, Vice President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria , …
- ASIA/SRI LANKA - National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies: "The Church is a bridge of reconciliation after the wounds of war" 19 June 2026 7 h 39 min Fides Thursday, 18 June 2026 Caritas Sri Lanka by Paolo Affatato Colombo (Fides News Agency) – “Reconciliation among the various communities of Sri Lanka and the healing of the wounds left by almost thirty years of civil war are now an integral part of the …
- Hindu American Foundation Cites Rise In Anti-Hindu Incidents In California 19 June 2026 7 h 28 min India West WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), an international advocacy organization, has urged California’s State of Hate Commission to formally recognize what it described as a rise in anti-Hindu hate and ensure Hindu Americans are included in …
- Madras HC stays church construction near Coimbatore temple, cites objections of Hindu majority 19 June 2026 7 h 07 min Maktoob Media The Madras High Court has passed an interim order restraining the construction of a church close to a century-old Mariyamman temple in Coimbatore, holding that local authorities “must not casually brush” aside the objections of the Hindu majority in the …
- Seeing fragments of my father in the ‘greatest showman’ of Bollywood 19 June 2026 7 h 01 min WBUR - Massachusetts When my father asked me to join him at a local Hindu Temple in Flushing, Queens, only two days after Halloween, I thought it was a trick, or rather, a sad joke. He’d only invited me once before, when his father back in India passed away in 2007. My brother …
- Fazl stresses dialogue to resolve regional, national issues 19 June 2026 6 h 01 min Dawn CHARSADDA: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief mulana Fazalur Rahman on Thursday criticised what he described as undue influence over the electoral process, questioned the government’s economic policies and called for dialogue-based solutions to regional …
- Multi-faith push urges Jewish Australians to be counted 19 June 2026 5 h 08 min The Australian Jewish News A national multi-faith initiative launched on June 18 is urging Australians to accurately identify their religious affiliation in the 2026 Census, with NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman saying the question carries particular significance for …
- Baseless claim about changes to Sri Lankan law kindles ethnic, religious tensions 19 June 2026 5 h 02 min Yahoo News Government officials have refuted claims Sri Lanka will incorporate Sharia law into national legislation, contradicting posts that say the move was announced by the country's Muslim deputy minister for religious and cultural affairs. While the Buddhist …
- Disparate religions, accountability lacking 19 June 2026 4 h 35 min The Journal Gazette - Indiana Commonalities bind disparate religions Three recent events merit attention: The Department of Defense reduced the number of recognized religions; Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith called Islam a “demonic death cult”; and Pope Leo published Magnifica Humanita. How we …
- China destroys Tibetan Buddhist symbols; Mani stone and prayer flags 19 June 2026 4 h 28 min The Tibet Post International Dharamshala — Chinese authorities in northern Tibet destroyed large numbers of Mani stone piles (Dobang), prayer flags, and Lung-Ta (wind horses), which embody a spiritual tradition of carving mantras on stones and inscribing sacred mantras on colored …
- Norfolk Churches Trust marks golden jubilee with cathedral service 19 June 2026 4 h 24 min Norwich Evening News The 200-strong congregation was welcomed by the Dean of Norwich, the Very Rev Dr Andrew Braddock. He praised the trust, which was founded in 1976, for raising and awarding a total of £7.1m to more than 730 churches to help maintain and conserve so much of …