World
37 Assyrian Christians released from ISIS captivity
Almost 40 Assyrian Christians kidnapped by Islamic State were today released following negotiations by the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East.
Thousands of Christians flee as ISIS advances into ancient Assyrian heartlands
ISIS has made ground in a fierce and destructive offensive on a town near Sadad, 35 miles south of Homs and 65 miles north-east of Damascus, the capital of Syria.
Unusual Siberia tremors seen as signs of major quake that could split up Europe and Asia, scientists say
An unusually high number of major tremors are being recorded around the north of Lake Baikal in Siberia, raising concern among scientists that these may indicate a powerful quake that could split the continents of Europe and Asia into half.
US moves to increase intake of Syrian refugees
The Obama administration will open new screening outposts in Iraq and Lebanon, administration officials told Reuters on Friday.
Obama administration orders schools to let transgenders use bathroom of their choice
The US Department of Education has ordered a school district in Illinois to allow a transgender student to use the girls' locker room or it will force it to do so.
Air strikes against ISIS likely to increase, says US General
US and coalition forces are likely to increase air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria in coming weeks, the head of UA Air Forces Central Command said Saturday.
Florida school punishes student for giving 1-second hug to a friend 'having a bad day'
A family in Oviedo, Florida, has hired a lawyer to defend a girl who was punished by the school for hugging a classmate.
Christian minister questions ouster from U.K. prison job: 'I simply said what the Bible says'
A Christian minister who worked as a gardener and volunteer at a prison in the United Kingdom was forced to resign from his job after he preached the bible to inmates that was seen as homophobic.
Montana draws flak for excluding religious schools in its scholarship programme
A state scholarship program in Montana has been branded as unconstitutional as it would exclude students of religious schools as beneficiaries.
Study says Christians are more selfish. Let's prove it wrong.
Maybe it's time that we redoubled our efforts to teach about the importance of serving others, writes Andy Walton.
Islamist vandals attack Spanish church, destroying religious objects and marking wall with the word 'Allah'
Vandals believed to be Islamic extremists attacked a church in Spain early this week, destroying religious objects and spray-painting the word "Allah" on the walls, reports said.
Catholic schools to teach Judaism alongside Christianity for first time
Recently the law was changed so that even faith schools must teach two religions at GCSE. At present, Catholic schools teach one faith, Catholic Christianity.
Nazism once again on the rise in Germany as German anger boils over government's open-door policy on migrants
As leading German magazine Der Spiegel succinctly put in its headline, "The hate is back" in the land that once saw the rise of a brutal fascist who ignited World War II, Adolph Hitler.
Reform Judaism moves to further embrace transgender people
The largest Jewish movement in North America has endorsed a ground breaking policy to embrace transgender people at their biennial conference on Thursday.
Children of same-sex couples must be nameless and unbaptised, says Mormon church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has updated its handbook to says children living in a same-sex household may not be blessed or baptised as babies.
Christian persecution in China: Journalist interrogated for covering cross demolitions
A Christian Chinese writer who wrote extensively about the mass demolition of crosses in Zhejiang province was detained and questioned on Tuesday on suspicion of "inciting subversion of the state", a friend told South China Morning Post.