Author: Steve Hunegs

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

http://www.startribune.com/yourvoices/87491587.html?elr=KArksc8P:Pc:UthPacyPE7iUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

National holidays hold a variety of meanings. In the United States we have days to honor civi l rights leaders; days to express our gratitude for the...

Author: Adelle M. Banks

Source: Beliefnet/Religion News Service

http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2010/03/state-dept-highlights-religiou.php

The State Department issued its annual human rights report Thursday (March 11), noting religious freedom violations in countries ranging from China to Iraq to Saudi Arabia.

The report on 194 countries called 2009 "a year in which ethnic, racial, and religious tensions led to violent...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Where-Hindus-and-Muslims-pray-together/articleshow/5670584.cms

When Hindus visit a temple in Gaddeajijpur village of Uttar Pradesh, they also make it a point to pray at the adjacent mausoleum. It is no different for Muslims. For, the villagers believe their prayers will not be answered...

Author: Eileen Ng

Source: Connecticut Post

Wire Service: AP

http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Malaysia-Hindu-wins-custody-row-with-Muslim-spouse-401409.php

A Malaysian court Thursday granted an ethnic Indian woman custody of her child in a bitter dispute with her Muslim-convert husband, in a ruling that could ease religious minorities' worries about their legal ...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: South Manchester Reporter

http://www.southmanchesterreporter.co.uk/news/s/1199367_a_riot_of_colour_to_celebrate_holi

A park burst into colour as Hindus celebrated the festival of Holi.

Around 300 people were at Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield to celebrate spring with an old tradition – throwing coloured powder and water at each other.

The annual festival is a...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: TREND

http://en.trend.az/regions/met/iraq/1652588.html

Some 122 Christian families have returned to the troubled northern Iraqi city of Mosul since the March 7 parliamentary elections, a local official said Thursday.

Representatives of the city's Christian population had earlier told the German Press Agency dpa that some 250 Christian families had fled following a string of deadly attacks targeting the...

Author: Matt Sutkoski

Source: Burlington Free Press

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100311/NEWS02/100310036/One-Jewish-and-one-Muslim-holiday-to-be-added-to-school-calendar

The Burlington School Board has voted to add two holidays to future school calendars to give students time off on Jewish and Muslim holy days, but board members say the changes won...

Author: Robbie Brown

Source: The New York Times

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/new-study-sorts-through-obama-muslim-myth/

A new academic study finds that Americans who believed during the 2008 campaign that Barack Obama was a Muslim generally held tight to that misconception, despite efforts by the media, fact-checking Web sites and his own campaign to debunk the myth.

The number...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Wire Service: AP

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/religion/2091773,CST-NWS-rabbi09.article

A Reform Jewish task force on intermarriage said Monday that the movement should do more to encourage mixed-faith couples to be active in Jewish life, including creating special blessings for major life events such as weddings and funerals.

The...

Author: Adelle M. Banks

Source: The Pew Forum/Religion News Service

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=19801

A White House advisory council on Tuesday (March 9) submitted 164 pages of recommendations on ways the federal government can better partner with faith-based groups in tackling a host of social problems, from poverty to improving interfaith relations.

Still, some of the thorniest issues surrounding public-private...

Author: Ahmed Saka and Jon Gambrell

Source: Google News

Wire Service: AP

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iNCU46VYMVf0VzhqkKJUus45PrDAD9EAFP4G1

Rioters armed with machetes slaughtered more than 200 people including a 4-day-old infant, residents said, less than two months after sectarian violence in the volatile region left more than 300 dead.

One aid worker...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Google News

Wire Service: AP

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gee0HQDakZhTyH0OADiv9B1zjQuQD9E9IN2O1

Malaysia's opposition has fired an outspoken lawmaker who broke ranks with his party in a religious dispute over the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims, party officials said Sunday.

The move follows weeks of turmoil in...

Author: Sean Yoong

Source: Yahoo News

Wire Service: AP

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100306/ap_on_re_as/as_malaysia_muslims_in_church

A Malaysian magazine apologized Saturday for upsetting Christians after it published an article researched by two Muslims who pretended to be Roman Catholics and took Communion in a church.

The apology is likely to soothe frustrations among religious...

Author: Adelle M. Banks

Source: Beliefnet/Religion News Service

http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2010/03/christians-muslims-agree-to-pu.php

Christian and Muslim leaders from the U.S., the Vatican and the Middle East have issued a "plan of action" to address religious freedom and peace-building after a three-day summit at Washington National Cathedral.

The group's two-page statement committed to working with government and...

Author: Michelle Bearden

Source: Tampa Bay Online

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/mar/04/na-women-of-faith-hope-to-spread-ripples-of-peace/

What happens when you put Muslim, Christian and Jewish women in the same room to pray for peace?

"A lot of collective positive energy goes out into the universe," says Sister Anne Dougherty, a Franciscan nun who works at Academy Prep Center of Tampa.

"...