State Department
To fight ISIS, West Point cadets secretly build Facebook page
By Lauren Markoe — February 3, 2016
(RNS) Future Army officers anonymously use social media to coax the vulnerable away from extremists.
East-West Travelblog: Terrorism, blasphemy — and cookies
By Kimberly Winston — August 22, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. (RNS) Security is tough at the State Department. But the cookies are sweet.
First diplomat for LGBT rights speaks out
By Oren Dorell — April 29, 2015
WASHINGTON -- In his trailblazing role at the State Department, Randy Berry says, he has an opportunity to help his two children grow up in a world more accepting than the one he was born into.
Iraqi Jewish Archive to go on the road
By Lauren Markoe — September 5, 2014
(RNS) Slated to return to Iraq this year, at least parts of the Iraqi Jewish Archive will tour the country.
State Department report: Religious persecution makes migrants out of millions
By Brian Pellot — July 28, 2014
(RNS) Millions of religious and non-religious people were displaced last year according to the State Department’s latest religious freedom report, which for the first time cites Turkmenistan for escalating religious freedom violations.
Rabbi David Saperstein tapped as first non-Christian to serve as U.S. ambassador for religious freedom
By Lauren Markoe — July 28, 2014
WASHINGTON (RNS) A Reform rabbi and lawyer, Saperstein, 66, has led the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism for 40 years, and has spent his career in Washington, focusing on social justice and religious freedom issues.
The Iraqi Jewish archive: Should the U.S. send it back?
By Lauren Markoe — December 10, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) A rare exhibit at the National Archives on the Mall raises thorny questions about the ultimate disposition of a trove of books and documents found in the flooded basement of Saddam Hussein's intelligence headquarters 10 years ago.
Suzan Johnson Cook defends her work on religious freedom and explains why she left
By Lauren Markoe — October 28, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) The Obama administration's ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom is hoping to make more money in the private sector.
Suzan Johnson Cook to resign as religious freedom ambassador
By Lauren Markoe — October 16, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) During her on-again off-again nomination battle, Suzan Johnson Cook likened herself to the "Iron Lady," former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher: "Change the name. It's mine now."
Court: Law designating ‘Israel’ as birthplace unconstitutional
By Lauren Markoe — July 24, 2013
(RNS) A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. has ruled unconstitutional a Congressional law allowing Americans born in Jerusalem to designate Israel as their birth country on their passports.
Activists: 15 years later, religious freedom law falls short
By Corrie Mitchell — June 19, 2013
(RNS) Fifteen years after Congress passed a law to better protect global religious freedom, the legislation is failing to fulfill its mission, activists told lawmakers on Thursday (June 13).
ANALYSIS: Does religious freedom report need more ‘teeth’?
By Lauren Markoe — May 21, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) Watchdogs say the State Department missed a key opportunity to put teeth into its annual assessment of global religious freedom, which was released by Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday.
Imprisoned Iranian-American pastor gets push from State Dept.
By Adelle M. Banks — March 26, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) Secretary of State John Kerry is calling for the release of an Iranian-American minister from a Tehran prison, a welcome step for advocates who had accused the State Department of being "AWOL" on the case.
Critics: State Department is ‘AWOL’ on Iran’s religious freedom
By Adelle M. Banks — March 15, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) Religious freedom activists scolded the State Department for not appearing at a hearing Friday on Iran’s treatment of religious minorities and called for greater government involvement in securing the release of people imprisoned there for their faith.
State Department highlights global religious restrictions in new report
By Adelle M. Banks — July 30, 2012
(RNS) Religious minorities continue to suffer loss of their rights across the globe, the State Department reported Monday (July 30) in its 2011 International Religious Freedom Report. By Adelle M. Banks.
