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Donald Trump, Pope Francis Spat Over Christianity Simmers Down but Pastor Robert Jeffress Joins In
A surprise, public spat that surfaced within the last 24 hours between Pope Francis and GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump appears to be quickly de-escalating. When, on a papal plane ride back from Mexico to Italy with reporters, Pope Francis said Trump is "not Christian" if he wants to build a wall along the United States-Mexico border, Trump called the pontiff's comments about him "disgraceful." But by Thursday evening, the GOP front-runner was uncharacteristically backing off of the hot

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Nikki Haley, S.C. Governor, Endorses Presidential Candidate Marco Rubio but Raises Questions
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who is accompanying her candidate-of-choice Marco Rubio on his S.C. campaign stops this week, is asking voters to donate money toward their "fight for conservative reforms," which to Haley means "limited government and cutting debt to Washington." Haley, the state's most popular GOP politician in polls and a rising national GOP star, was South Carolina's most coveted Republican endorsement in the 2016 presidential race.

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Mississippi 'Religious Liberty' Act Approved By House Reps, Supports Rights To Religious Objections
Magnolia State lawmakers are supporting a new bill originally called the "Religious Liberty Accommodations Act," which would mean no discriminatory action could be taken against anyone who believes marriage should be a union between a man and a woman. House members voted 80-39 Friday to pass House Bill 1523, after it was approved by House Judiciary committee members by a 14-3 margin. The name was changed in committee to the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience From Government Discrimination Act."

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Faith Facts to Shape Upcoming South Carolina, Nevada 2016 Presidential Primaries
Predictions are that religious beliefs, or lack of them, once again will influence the U.S. 2016 presidential nomination contests about to happen in South Carolina and Nevada over the next week for both major political parties.

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Pope Francis Christens GOP Candidate Donald Trump ‘Not Christian’
Republication presidential candidate Donald Trump is "not Christian" due to his views on immigration, Pope Francis said on his way back to Rome from Mexico Thursday. However, the pope said he did not want to advise American Catholics about voting related to Trump.

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Qatar Evangelical Alliance breaks ground on worship center, witnessing Christ in a Muslim nation
A worship center for evangelical churches has commenced construction in Qatar, marking a significant spiritual milestone in the history of evangelicals in the country.

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Hong Kong's deadliest fire in a Century: churches mobilize and pray to support the community
On 26 November, a severe level‑five fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Early reports said at least 13 people died and 23 were injured. Local churches mobilize to support the community and pray.

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Faith and freedom: USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler shares insights on China’s religious landscape
As China continues to update its religious regulations, changes in the country’s faith environment and space for religious practice have drawn increased global attention. In this interview, USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler responds to questions about religious policy, human rights, and faith, offering her perspectives on China’s current situation and sharing words of support and encouragement for Christians facing challenges.

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U.S. Congressional hearing highlights religious freedom challenges facing Chinese Christians and other faith communities
A recent U.S. congressional hearing cast a spotlight on religious freedom conditions in China, with witnesses sharing firsthand accounts of pressure faced by Christian, Muslim, and Tibetan Buddhist communities.

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Christians gather in Hong Kong to pray for victims of Tai Po Hong Fu Court fire
More than 1,000 Christians gathered in Hong Kong on Dec. 5 for a united prayer service commemorating the victims of the five-alarm fire that devastated Hong Fu Court in Tai Po on Nov. 26, destroying thousands of homes and killing 159 people.
