Inevitably, international reporting trips produce a memorable moment, be it frightening, frantic or funny. Sometimes, the notable occurrence relates to the actual story. Other times, an indelible personal experience stands out.
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Sports gambling doesn’t have a specific season, but certain times of the year are considered to be its Super Bowl or March Madness. Crowning the National Football League champion remains the biggest single-game bet among Americans. The next few weeks, however, bring a tsunami of gambling due not only to March Madness’ popularity, but also the sheer number of games on which to wager.
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(ANALYSIS) As the American and Israeli war with Iran unfolds, some American Christians are speaking of the conflict in biblical terms — mapping end-time prophecies on to current events in the Middle East. In a sermon on March 1, for example, John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel, described the war as part of a divine plan.
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(ANALYSIS) During the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 5, Paula White-Cain, senior adviser to the White House Office of Faith, introduced President Donald Trump as “the greatest champion of faith that we have ever had in the executive branch.” Taking the podium after her, Trump declared, “I’ve done more for religion than any other president.”
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(ANALYSIS) Our polarized era features unique and quasi-religious devotion toward President Donald Trump from his MAGA base, set against profound hostility from foes of his words and deeds. Church leaders in that second camp, mostly mainline and liberal Protestants, have issued a new plea worth noting for the extent of its supporters and a markedly fierce denunciation of America’s “cruel and oppressive government.”
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(ANALYSIS) The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader on Sunday marks a pivotal moment for the country’s political and religious future — and for the religious minorities who have long lived under the constraints of the Islamic Republic’s theocratic government. As the war rages on, it remains to be seen what his elevation means for Iran and the region.
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Barack Obama honored civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, praising his lifelong commitment to justice, equality, and hope. From confronting segregation to building the Rainbow Coalition and running for president, Jackson answered the call to serve. Obama credited him with inspiring generations and expanding American democracy, urging others to follow Jackson’s example and say, “Send me.”
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(OPINION) As a journalist, I’ve met thousands of people over more than three decades, and heard a lot of … interesting theories about life, spirituality, current events and so forth.
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(ANALYSIS) Following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country has begun a rare leadership transition overseen by an interim council and the Assembly of Experts. As clerics consider successors such as Mojtaba Khamenei and Alireza Arafi, the process highlights how political loyalty often outweighs religious credentials in selecting Iran’s supreme leader.
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It’s a tough time for Christian farmer Jorge Sanchez. A U.S. blockade on oil shipments to this Caribbean island nation has spurred Cuba’s deepening humanitarian crisis.
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Coverage of a Supreme Court decision blocking a California policy on student gender identity reveals starkly different media frames. Some outlets emphasize protecting transgender students from being “outed,” while others stress parental rights and religious liberty. The contrasting headlines highlight how newsrooms shape public understanding of contentious legal and cultural debates.
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The Pew Research Center surveyed thousands of adults in 25 countries and found that 53 percent of Americans said their fellow countrymen had “somewhat bad” or “very bad” morals. Those findings broke with the international trend: In every other country surveyed, the majority said that others in their country have “somewhat good” or “very good” morals.
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The residents of Jeju Island remember what it is like to resist imperialism and outside interests. Groups that were formed to protest the U.S. naval base construction have now shifted their focus to seek peace in Palestine following the year-long Israel-Gaza war.
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The Rev. Jesse Jackson was honored at the South Carolina Statehouse as national leaders, civil rights veterans and family members paid tribute to his life and legacy. Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were invited to attend his funeral on Friday in Chicago, an event billed as “The People’s Celebration.”
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The summit unfolded against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tension, coinciding with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the prospect of regime change in a country gripped by Shi’a rule for nearly 50 years. For many of the attendees who flew to Malta, regime change in Iran is the start of a new era.
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(ANALYSIS) Understanding this distinction can help get past oversimplified narratives. The Middle East’s conflicts are not simply ancient religious feuds. They are modern political struggles shaped by history, identity and political interests. Here’s what you need to know about Sunni and Shia Islam — and how it impacts Iran and the current situation there.
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Venezuela's president has been in U.S. custody for two months now. But has the situation in Venezuela improved, and what does it mean for religious freedom? We talk with human rights experts about concerns for Latin American liberty at large.
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(ANALYSIS) Three rounds of nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran failed to persuade President Trump that a solution to the nuclear impasse lay in diplomacy, rather than military action. A perceived lack of progress on Feb 26, was enough to prompt Trump to green-light a massive onslaught of missiles that has degraded Iran and killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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(ANALYSIS) Imagine a world where crimes are stopped before they even take place. Science fiction has imagined this world, most famously in the 2002 film “Minority Report,” where society can predict criminal acts and allow authorities to intervene in advance. Thanks to AI, this dystopian reality could be coming to your neighborhood in the not-so-distant future.
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The assassination — announced by President Trump hours after Saturday’s airstrikes — is expected to throw the Islamic Republic of Iran’s future into doubt and raises the prospect that the country’s theocratic government could be overthrown after nearly five decades. Trump said the airstrikes and Khamenei’s death is “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.”
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