By Jennifer Koons, Religion News Service WASHINGTON (RNS) Against the backdrop of celebrations to mark the one-year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government has angered religious freedom activists by attempting to assert greater influence over the successor to the Dalai Lama. “The so-called reincarnated living Buddha without government approval is illegal and…

Associated Press KOLOMUDO VILLAGE, Thailand – The black-uniformed raiders roared into this Thai Muslim village, firing assault rifles and hurling grenades from a pickup truck at a group of teenagers relaxing near the mosque. When the attack was over, five of the youths lay dead. As they have done in the past, authorities initially said…

Associated Press VATICAN CITY – The Vatican on Thursday sought to calm Jewish anger over the pope’s meeting with a prominent Polish priest accused of anti-Semitism, declaring the encounter did not imply any change in the church’s desire for good relations with Jews. The Vatican issued the assurances after Pope Benedict XVI’s brief meeting Sunday…

Associated Press BAGHDAD – Hundreds of thousands of Shiites marched to a gold-domed mosque in harsh heat and sun Thursday in a pilgrimage of devotion to an 8th century saint that also starkly demonstrated their political power. Only scattered strikes by Sunni insurgents marred the day, which was held amid tight security to avoid the…

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