Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Washington Post

Wire Service: AP

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/08/AR2010020801447.html

A Stockholm court Monday ordered the Public Employment Service to pay 50,000 kronor ($6,700) in damages to an immigrant from Bosnia who lost his jobless benefits when he was kicked out of the program.

Citing his faith, the man...

Author: Vidushi Shrimali

Source: The Daily Texan

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/university/ismaili-muslim-students-establish-group-work-for-interfaith-dialogue-1.2142517

For the small group of students trying to create the Ismaili Muslim Students Association, the third time’s the charm.

Since 2004, various students have unsuccessfully tried to start the association...

Author: David L. Hudson Jr.

Source: First Amendment Center

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=22566

An Illinois prison inmate’s claim that officials violated his religious-liberty rights by allowing a female staff member to search him has survived initial review by a federal judge. However, the judge rejected his sexual-harassment claim, saying that such a claim did not present a First Amendment issue.

Yaphet K. Jamal...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Wire Service: AP

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/french-mosque-vandalised-with-swastikas-20100208-nnin.html

Swastikas and racial slurs have been painted on the walls of a mosque in the town of Saint-Etienne, says a prominent French Muslim group.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith says the...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: USA TODAY

Wire Service: AP

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-02-08-christian-muslim_N.htm

A Muslim group filed a federal civil rights complaint Friday after a Southern California mayor remarked that he was "growing a Christian community" in a state of the city address last week.

In a letter to the U.S. Justice Department, the Council on American-Islamic...

Author: Ary Hermawan

Source: The Jakarta Post

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/02/05/court-stage-debate-religious-freedom.html

The Constitutional Court will see one of its longest hearings as it becomes a forum for clerics, activists, pundits and artists to debate whether the country should revoke a 45-year-old blasphemy law to uphold freedom of religion.

The court opened Thursday the first hearing...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Denver Post

Wire Service: AP

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_14337886

Egypt's chief archaeologist unveiled on Thursday an extensive renovation of the oldest monastery in the world, touting the work at the 1,600-year-old site as a symbol of peaceful coexistence between the country's Muslims and Christians.

It's the message Egypt's government has been emphasizing ever since a...

Author: Melica Johnson

Source: KATU News

http://www.katu.com/news/local/83691437.html

A decades-old law banning teachers from wearing religious clothing in public classrooms received vigorous debate Friday during a public hearing on the 1923 law.

Democrats are leading the charge to lift the ban because they say it is unconstitutional and discriminatory. In a move to make their proposed law more palatable to critics of repealing the ban,...

Author: Dominic Casciani

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8499450.stm

Attacks on Jews in the UK reached record levels in 2009, according to figures compiled within the community.

The Community Security Trust (CST) said it had recorded 924 incidents over the year, 55% more than the previous high of 598 incidents in 2006.

The organisation, which monitors incidents against Jewish people and organisations, said the rise was...

Author: Fredrick Nzwili

Source: Ecumenical News International

http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=3756

Church leaders in Kenya are rallying their followers against a draft constitution they say favours Muslims and will tear the country apart. 

"Christians will not relent in holding out this position as it is our national duty," said the Rev. Peter Karanja, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of...

Author: Oralander Brand-Williams

Source: The Detroit News

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100204/LIFESTYLE04/2040387/1041/lifestyle04/Suit-over-hijab-may-be-settled

The federal lawsuit against a local judge who ordered a Muslim woman to remove her religious head covering last fall could be settled by a federal magistrate.

U.S. District Judge Marianne O. Battani on Wednesday ordered a...

Author: Tracy Dang

Source: The Katy Times

http://www.katytimes.com/articles/2010/02/04/news/doc4b6b456dc4647559902705.txt

A Beckendorff Junior High eight-grader remains hospitalized after a fellow student punched him in the jaw Tuesday, and one Muslim advocacy group is saying the victim was targeted because of his religion.

The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a release...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: News...

Author: Nurfika Osman

Source: The Jakarta Globe

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/right-to-worship-still-under-threat-watchdog-warns/356616

In another blow to Indonesia’s drive for religious tolerance, a report released on Wednesday said 200 violations against freedom of worship were filed with state agencies in 2009, involving 139 cases. 

Hendardi, the chairman of the Setara...

Author: Aziza Hasan

Source: Muslim Public Affairs Council

http://www.mpac.org/article.php?id=1025#axzz0env9COKS

During the most recent Muslim Community Forum, MPAC Senior Advisor, Dr. Maher Hathout and Imam Abdul Kareem Hasan, co-facilitated a discussion between Muslim community members and the new Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Charlie Beck. Hosted by the Omar ibn Al Khattab Foundation, Director Dafer Dakhil, welcomed...