CALL FOR PAPERS, abstracts due 15 April 2025: Third World Conference for Religious Dialogue and Cooperation (North Macedonia) (Center for Intercultural Studies and Research, Faculty of Philosophy)

EVENT, 10 April 2025: 11th Annual Iowa Religious Freedom Day Celebration, "The Role of Religion in Peacemaking" (Des Moines, IA, USA) (Iowareligiousfreedomday.org)

EVENT, 6 February 2025: Religious Freedom in America (Washington, DC, USA) (National Council for Religious Freedom)

EVENT, 6 February 2025: National Prayer Breakfast (Washington, DC, USA)

EVENT, 4-5 February 2025: IRF Summit 2025 (Washington, DC, USA)

EVENT, 3 February 2025: Global Faith Forum: Together for Peace in a Time of Outrage (Washington, DC, USA) (Multi-Faith Neighbors Network)

EVENT, 3 February 2025: IRF Summit University Partnership Program 2025 (Washington, DC, USA) (IRF Summit)

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS, deadline for submission 31 January 2025: Young Scholars Fellowship at Oxford (International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), Brigham Young University)

EVENT, 15 January 2025 (9AM - 5PM EST): South Carolina Religious Liberty Conference (Columbia, SC, USA) (South Carolina Religious Liberty Conference)

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS, due 13 January 2025: Moratoriums on Islamic Criminal Punishments: Legal Debates and Current Practices (Journal of Islamic Law)

Ghana: We’ll protect muslim women’s right to wear hijab freely — Mahama assures (Modern Ghana)

Zimbabwe: Crossover vigils boost religious tourism (Veronica Gwaze, Sunday Mail)

Kenya High Court declares criminalization of attempted suicide unconstitutional (Ishrat Chahal, Jurist News)

Benin holidays for Indigenous religions celebrate tradition, spark debate on faith (Juste Hlannon, La Croix International)

Malawi: ‘I’ve seen women suffer’: Malawi’s religious leaders fight for legal abortions (Sarah Johnson, The Guardian)

The future of faith-driven diplomacy: ICRD’s commitment to sustainable peace (Martine Miller, International Center for Religion & Diplomacy)

Indonesian court’s ‘unfortunate’ ruling on citizens’ religion sparks discrimination fears (Resty Woro Yuniar, South China Morning Post)

Syria: Stampede kills four people, injures 16 in Umayyad Mosque in Damascus (Reuters)

Syrian intelligence says it thwarted ISIL attempt to blow up Shia shrine (Al Jazeera)

WCC, with India Peace Centre, launches Interfaith Coalition on Land, Water, and Food (World Council of Churches)

Jamaica: WCC visit to Jamaica will focus on empowering faith communities (World Council of Churches)

Dalai Lama says no reason to be angry at China over Tibet quake (Radio Free Asia)

China: Uyghur woman sentenced to 17 years for teaching Islam to her kids and a neighbor (Shohret Hoshur, Radio Free Asia)

Sri Lanka: Controversial Buddhist monk jailed for insulting Islam (Fan Wang, BBC)

Nicaragua's regime wages war on religious freedom (Reason)

New publication: Autonomia Constitucional do Direito Religioso (Portuguese) (Comissão de Direito e Liberdade Religiosa, Instituto dos Advogados Brasileiros)

Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassation: Patriarchate of Bulgaria has no monopoly on the use of “Orthodox Church” (Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A magazine on religious liberty and human rights)

London Police ask upcoming pro-Palestinian rally to move away from synagogue (Ben Sales, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Estonian Orthodox Church given two months to sever ties with the ROC (Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Human trafficking under the spotlight (The European Times)

Spain eyes repeal of blasphemy law amid debate over free expression (Reuters)

Turkish court rules against restrictions on Greek Orthodox clerics serving on foundations (Bill Kouras, Greek City Times)

Hungarian government helped building church near Amman, Jordan (Daily News)

Experiments in virtue: Byron Johnson on religion in prisons (Danielle Miller, The Standard)

LA wildfires destroy numerous houses of worship. Clergy and congregants vow to persevere (Giovanna Dell’Orto, Luis Andres Henao and Peter Smith, Associated Press)

BJC urges federal appeals court to reject Louisiana law requiring public school classrooms to post the Ten Commandments (Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Some US lawmakers want more Christianity in the classroom. Trump could embolden their plans (Moriah Balingit, Associated Press)

Biden gives Pope Francis highest civilian honor before leaving office (Alex Gangitano, The Hill)

President Biden awards Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to His Holiness Pope Francis (The White House)