Author: Frances Harrison

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7336855.stm

Sri Lankan rebels have asked Norwegian peace brokers to pressurise the government to end violence near the country's most revered Catholic shrine.

The rebels say the army has been shelling the church compound in Madhu in Tamil Tiger-controlled territory near the frontline in the fighting.

But the army blames the Tigers for taking up...

Author: Eileen E. Flynn

Source: American-Statesman

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/04/08/0408razi.html

Members of Austin's religious community are rallying around a Muslim cleric who is being detained in West Texas and may be deported to Pakistan.

Imam Safdar Razi, who led a Northwest Austin mosque for six years before taking a job in Dearborn, Mich., in 2006, was arrested on immigration...

Author: Imad Shehadeh

Source: Christianity Today

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/aprilweb-only/115-22.0.html

The media in the East and West have recently been reporting the denunciation of evangelicals by the council of the Catholic and Orthodox bishops in Jordan. The bishops' denunciation was in support of the government's deportations of foreign missionaries, pastors, seminary students, and teachers. Some evangelical...

Author: Peter Schworm

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/04/07/interfaith_youths_unite_in_volunteerism/

As a group of students grabbed rakes and spades to help clean up a neighborhood park in Jamaica Plain yesterday, Danyal Najmi knelt in quiet prayer on the sidewalk. An observant Muslim who prays five times a day, the Tufts University senior checked his compass to face...

Author: AMANDA KING

Source: Times

http://www.times.co.nz/cms/news/2008/04/art100019860.php

BUDDHA’S birthday celebrations at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple in Botany on Sunday will be a day for all cultures and religions to come together, the organisers say.

“It’s to foster a better understanding of other cultures and religious groups,” says temple manager Rev Man Wang.

“Buddhism accepts...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Ottawa Citizen

Author: Denise Jewell Gee

Source: The Buffalo News

http://www.buffalonews.com/lifearts/religion/story/316879.html

Visitors to Niagara University’s Castellani Museum will get a glimpse of the region’s religious diversity now through Dec. 14.

A new exhibit, “Devotional Displays: Personal and Community Traditions,” features 30 photographs and three installations of folk religious displays that range from St....

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Queens Museum

http://www.queensmuseum.org/exhibitions/flushing.htm

In the new millennium, religion, its relation to the state and mutual respect are hot-button issues across the globe. In Flushing, Queens, this very conversation started 350 years ago with the Flushing Remonstrance. The Flushing Remonstrance was drafted in 1657 and signed by a group of Flushing residents who were offended by the persecution of religions...

Author: Stephanie Esposito

Source: WFMZ, Pennsylvania

http://wfmz.com/view/?id=248102

Christians, Muslims and Jews in Allentown spent the day yesterday working together on community service projects throughout the city. The interfaith coalition was designed to make improvements to the city and interfaith relationships. WFMZ's Stephanie Esposito [has] the story.

It was a productive day for the city of Allentown. Not only did a lengthy list of service projects...

Author: Blackwell Thomas

Source: The Southern

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/04/06/front_page/24004654.txt

This month, the Carbondale Civic Center will host an art exhibit sponsored by Carbondale's Interfaith Council.

The exhibit features a couple of dozen works covering a multitude of mediums including canvas, construction paper, metal and cloth.

Despite the physical differences, each...

Author: AMITA VERMA

Source: Howrah News Service

http://howrah.org/india_news/8786.html

The UP forest department has now hit upon a novel idea to promote national integration. The forest officials are planning a unique theme park at the Kukrail picnic spot, located on the outskirts of the state capital, which will have trees and plants that have religious significance.

Called the "Kukrail Vatika", this first-of-its-kind park will be spread across five-...

Author: LESLIE PALMA-SIMONCEK

Source: The Staten Island Advance

Author: LAURIE GOODSTEIN

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/us/04pope.html

At 80, Pope Benedict XVI has limited his coming trip to the United States to 13 public events, but the church made a surprise announcement on Thursday that he had added two brief meetings — both with Jewish leaders.

One is a quick stopover at the Park East Synagogue in New York on April 18. It will be the first time a pope has ever...

Author: Song Shutao

Source: China View

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/03/content_7913305.htm

An inter-religion meeting was launched here on Thursday for religious leaders from 15 countries in Asian Pacific region to talk about cooperation, peace and harmony in the world.

All religious sects have to work together to help this globe to have peace, food security and contribute to poverty reduction, Cambodian Prime...

Author: Jennifer Thome

Source: CBS3, Springfield

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/17281829.html

For weeks the Islamic Center in West Springfield has been cleaning up broken glass and listening to threatening phone calls. On Thursday night, the interfaith community came together to show their solidarity.

Mohammad Saleem Bajwa, President of Islamic Society, says "{The Islamic community} has a strong fear that something is going...