(ANALYSIS) The Turkish government’s conversion of the Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque has drawn sharp criticism, celebration, and now pledges to rebuild the church in Syria. The decision is part of a long-term agenda of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Islamist parties to restore national pride in its Ottoman past, drawing both sharp criticism for implications for religious minorities and mixed praise in the region.
Read MoreDr. Mohammed Elgazzar has served in medical missions to war-torn Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria and more, saving lives without regard to the beliefs of the wounded. His faith inspires him. “The Quran is not coming from Allah just to be read,” he said. “It is not enough to see pain and feel sad. You have to do something about it,” he said. “That is my religion.”
Read MoreRussian TV captured a short exchange where the leaders used the biblical story of Paul the Apostle to joke about how a visit to Syria might change the American president.
Read MoreOn November 4, a few British Parliamentarians and experts have launched a new venture to address the issue of genocide. The Coalition for Genocide Response is a new initiative that aims to unite politicians, scholars, and civil society representatives in the common aim to provide a comprehensive response to genocide.
Read More(OPINION) After Turkey’s invasion that bombed and killed civilians, Syrian Christians, Kurds and Arabs fled their homes and are in need of shelter and winter supplies. On a recent visit to the U.S, we talked to Syriac Christian Elizabeth Kourie about the geopolitical conflict and the needs of the community.
Read MoreThe new center, meant to “defend Israel’s brand,” will even feature a Donald Trump exhibit.
Read MoreThe terror organization lost its territory and its caliph. Its ideology will be much harder to defeat, say those who have studied the group’s evolution and theology.
Read MoreNortheast Syria is a hub for religious freedom and pluralistic values, but this may no longer be the case. Among the first victims of Turkey’s war against northeast Syria were Christians, with reports of deaths, demolished homes, and broken crosses flooding social media.
Read More(OPINION) The lack of swift justice for Yazidis sends the outrageous message that it is possible to get away with genocide.
Read MoreWe talked to human rights activist Dr. Widad Akreyi about the Yazidi community’s wait for justice on the international stage after the start of a genocide on Aug. 3, 2014. Thousands captured by Islamic State fighters remain missing.
Read More(COMMENTARY) There are still hotspots of Daesh support, and a territorial defeat of Daesh does not mean the defeat of their perverted ideology, which is still threatening religious minorities like the Yazidis.
Read More“I had all the reasons and justifications to join a terrorist group because of what has happened to me,” said Raghu Balachandran, a Christian who witnessed the murder of his father and brother in Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war between Tamil Hindus and Sinhalese Buddhists.
Read More(COMMENTARY) Iran’s nefarious intentions and activities are being closely scrutinized by the Trump administration and have led to crippling sanctions on Iran’s oil exports. And now U.S. waivers – which permitted eight specific countries to purchase Iranian oil despite existing sanctions – will not be renewed in May 2019.
Read More(COMMENTARY) Much violence and discrimination against Christians globally goes unnoticed in newspapers. This could be seen with US Vice President Mike Pence’s recent remarks - hardly reported - condemning religious persecution of both Muslims and Christians.
Read MoreSurviving Yazidis and Christians in Iraq and Syria will remember their people’s genocide for generations. And in the aftermath of ISIS attacks, help and hope are still in very short supply.
Read More(COMMENTARY) The persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East was not one of 2018's big news stories. Instead, this parade of horrors became a kind of "old news" that rarely reached the prime headlines offered by elite newsrooms.
Read More(COMMENTARY) Israel is preparing to officially demand compensation for assets abandoned by Jews who were forced to flee eight Arab countries after the establishment of the State of Israel, to the tune of $250 billion.
Read More(COMMENTARY) Often religion reporters miss some of the most important stories when they happen, but recognize their magnitude later.
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