• Millions Pray for Polish Crash Victims

  Millions of mourners in the predominantly Catholic nation of Poland packed into churches Sunday to pray for victims of Saturday’s high-profile plane crash, which took the lives of Poland President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others.

  

• Prayers for Sudan Urged as Historic Voting Kicks Off

  Sudanese across Africa's largest country filed into polling stations Sunday to cast their votes for Sudan’s first competitive elections in nearly a quarter century.

  

• Chinese Gov't to Tighten Watch Over Religious Group Finances

  The government of China revealed Friday its intention to tighten supervision on the financial management of the country's 130,000 religious institutions in response to "prevailing malpractice."

• U.S. State Dept. Speaks Out Against Rise of Religious Persecution in Iran

  The U.S. Department of State said Friday that is “increasingly concerned” about the ongoing persecution of religious minority communities in Iran.

• Anglican Head Embarks on Middle East Tour

  The head of the worldwide Anglican Communion expressed his "deep" concern over the declining number of believers in the Middle East as he marked the start a four-day visit to the region.