State Department
Brownback deserved more Democratic support
By Jacob Lupfer — January 25, 2018
(RNS) — I would not vote for Sam Brownback. I certainly did not vote for the president who nominated him.
But we need to get back to common sense and common decency. Democrats: Sam Brownback is not your enemy.
Despite law, State Department misses deadline to name religious freedom violators
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 17, 2017
(RNS) 'Failing to designate CPCs tells the violators of religious freedom around the world that the United States is looking away,' U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chairman Daniel Mark said.
State Department to keep anti-Semitism envoy but scrap many others
By Mark A. Kellner — August 29, 2017
(RNS) — Dozens of special envoy positions, including several to the Muslim world, will be cut.
Last-ditch effort aims to fill State Department job combating anti-Semitism
By Lauren Markoe — June 27, 2017
WASHINGTON (RNS) Jewish and other human rights groups are lobbying Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to fill the job, created by Congress in 2004.
Since ban, persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses is ‘worse than ever’
By Lauren Markoe — May 18, 2017
(RNS) Russia has labeled the pacifist Jehovah's Witnesses 'extremist,' the same designation as al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.
US commission: Russia a major violator of religious freedom
By Lauren Markoe — April 26, 2017
WASHINGTON (RNS) A dissenting report criticizes the commission for failing to investigate Israel.
167 House members ask Trump to retain ambassador to combat anti-Semitism
By Lauren Markoe — March 14, 2017
(RNS) This is no time to scrap the position, the lawmakers say.
Trump administration should use key diplomatic tools for religious engagement
By Susan Hayward — February 17, 2017
(RNS) By overemphasizing the links between Islam and extremism, the administration has fueled Muslim anger, obscured the complex roles that religious institutions play in global affairs and ignored important lessons from the past.
Trump retains LGBT State Department official, frustrating Christian conservatives
By Lauren Markoe — February 15, 2017
(RNS) Once again, Trump and religious conservatives don't see eye to eye on LGBT rights. A sign of things to come?
New International Religious Freedom Act a first for atheists
By Kimberly Winston — December 19, 2016
(RNS) The freshly signed Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act is being heralded by both atheists and Christians as a milestone.
Turkey’s leader says US has ‘no excuse’ to keep imam blamed for coup
By RNS staff — August 24, 2016
(RNS) The Turkish government has long said it wants the imam extradited. Now the request is official.
Religious freedom seriously lacking for three-fourths of world’s population, ambassador says
By Adelle M. Banks — August 10, 2016
WASHINGTON (RNS) Almost a quarter of the world’s countries -- in which 74 percent of the world’s population lives -- have serious restrictions on religious freedom, said the ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
Report: Religious freedom deteriorating around the world
By Aysha Khan — May 2, 2016
WASHINGTON (RNS) Global religious freedom remains under “serious and sustained assault,” according to a new report.
US says Islamic State committed genocide against Christians
By Reuters — March 17, 2016
WASHINGTON -- The State Department says the designation by Secretary John Kerry does not create a legal obligation for the United States.
Knights of Columbus report: ISIS committing Christian ‘genocide’
By Adelle M. Banks — March 10, 2016
(RNS) The report included a list of 1,131 Christians killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2014 and 125 churches attacked there in the same period.
