Judge Alvin Kenneth Hellerstein, an Orthodox Jew who displays the Torah verse “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof” — “Justice, justice you shall pursue” — on the walls of his chambers, is presiding over the case of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Hellerstein oversaw Monday’s arraignment of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who entered a plea of not guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Read MorePope Leo XIV urged respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty and human rights on Sunday, saying he had been following events of the last two days with deep concern after the U.S. ousted dictator Nicolas Maduro. The pope called for peace and justice, while Venezuelan bishops expressed solidarity with victims and prayed for national unity.
Read MoreThe history of San Francisco Church in Valparaíso is so intertwined with the Chilean port city that when a fire burned down the building in 2013, one neighbor felt like she was losing a friend. The city owes its nickname “Pancho” to the church (men named “Francisco” are often called “Pancho” in Latin America).
Read MoreWhile the global median score on the Government Restrictions Index (based on several factors) held steady in 2022 at 3.0 out of 10, the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government religious restrictions rose to 59, which accounts for 30% of the 198 countries and territories Pew Research Center studied.
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