WASHINGTON -- In a room full of religious leaders, politicians and other supporters of protecting Christians threatened in the Middle East, Sam Brownback, ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, urged more prayer and action to continue supporting persecuted Christians in the Middle East.

SYDNEY -- The Australian government is preparing to introduce the country's first religious freedom laws, but some senior Catholic clerics are concerned they may not go far enough.

WASHINGTON -- In conjunction with the U.S. State Department's Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the Religious Freedom Institute presented a side event July 15 to discuss current international religious freedom policy.

WASHINGTON -- The rabbi of a Pittsburgh Jewish community where 11 people were killed by a gunman in October told a worldwide meeting of religious freedom activists that only by rejecting racism and bigotry can violence in the name of religion be overcome.

WASHINGTON -- The Pew Research Center's annual report on restrictions on religion worldwide showed the United States had the worst scores in the Americas in three of the eight categories Pew surveyed.

MISSISSAUGA, ONT. -- In a campaign-style address, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed to be Canada’s defender of religious freedom July 6 at an annual religious festival.

LOS ANGELES -- In a last-minute twist, a California bill that would have required priests to break the sacramental seal of confession was shelved by its sponsor amid a remarkable grassroots campaign mounted by the state's Catholics, members of other faith groups, and religious liberty advocates from across the country.

OREM, Utah -- The nation's Bill of Rights guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from religion, New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan told a crowd of more than 3,000 gathered in Orem for a patriotic event held each year around the Fourth of July.

PARIS, France (CNA) -- France’s soon-to-be mandatory Universal National Service program for teens has drawn serious religious freedom concerns, with critics noting that the program prohibits religious symbols, does not allow conscripts to leave for religious services, and fails to accommodate religious dietary restrictions.

WASHINGTON -- The State Department's newly released annual report on international religious freedom shows continued attacks and abuse by governments and societies against religious minorities in their respective countries.

UNITED NATIONS -- Many terrorist attacks and other violence against houses of worship, religious sites and faith communities around the world "are finally receiving the attention, condemnation and committed response they deserve," Archbishop Bernardito Auza said June 24 at the United Nations.

OTTAWA -- Getting the United Nations and the European Union to acknowledge the persecution of Christians is an ongoing challenge, but there are signs of progress, says Marcela Szymanski, a lobbyist for Aid to the Church in Need.

OTTAWA -- The fight against Quebec’s secularism legislation must continue even though it is now law, say religious freedom advocates.

PITTSBURGH -- Pope Francis follows closely the news related to immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, Archbishop Christophe Pierre said in May 30 interview in Pittsburgh.

WASHINGTON -- On May 28, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing Aug. 22 as the Day to Commemorate Victims of Violence Based on Religion.