Religious Freedom

In this in-depth explainer, Abhishek Singh, Deputy Editor, Livemint, breaks down the escalating battle between the Dalai Lama and China over the future of Tibetan Buddhism and the selection of the next Dalai Lama. Discover how the Dalai Lama's latest statement rejecting Beijing's authority over his reincarnation has sparked a major Tibet-China succession crisis, with global implications for religious freedom, human rights, and Tibetan autonomy. We analyse China's strong opposition, the risk of duelling Dalai Lamas, and what this means for Tibet's spiritual heritage, international diplomacy, and the ongoing struggle for Tibetan identity.

'We are seeing impunity for violence by non-state actors committed against religious minorities,' said United States Commission on International Religious Freedom chair Tony PerkinsUSCIRF categorised India as a 'Country of Particular Concern' on religious freedom for first time since 2004

The US CIRF has taken a grim view of the CAB's provisions, and raised the possibility of recommending sanctions against its champion in the Lok SabhaThe bill amounts to a 'dangerous turn in the wrong direction' and runs contrary to the secular values enshrined in India's Constitution, US CIRF said

US places Pakistan on 'Special Watch List' for 'severe violations' of religious freedom, says State Department, making it the only country to be put under the newly-formed list

The US state department on Wednesday announced the grant for organisations which can come up with ideas and projects to promote religious freedom in India

The US govt has issued new rules that let employers opt out of providing birth control and pave the way for religious businesses to discriminate based on their beliefs

Chinese government intensifies punishments for unsanctioned religious activities and steps up supervision of certain groups in a bid to 'block extremism'

US report on religious freedom says there was an increase in violent incidents by cow vigilantes mostly against Muslims in India in 2016 and authorities often 'failed' to prosecute them

Donald Trump vows to support and defend religious liberty, says the threat of terrorism is 'one of the most grave and dire threats to religious freedom in the world today'

US ambassador-at-large for religious freedom David Saperstein and minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi discussed issues including the 'triple talaq' and Uniform Civil Code