Stories about Religion
Undertones: How India’s far-right spreads Islamophobia
Three narratives to help understand how India's hyper-nationalist Hindus are trying to wipe off all traces of Muslim existence.
Trinidad & Tobago's failure to act on decades of abuse allegations has done unspeakable damage to children in state care
The findings of a recent task force charged with investigating allegations of child abuse at children's homes has raised the ghost of a decades-old task force report that lay buried.
A Uyghur journalist's demand: Bring an end to my family’s decades of suffering
"I urge UN staff to help get information on whether my 11 relatives are alive and, if so, where are they and why and how they were punished?"
Central Asia’s fears of rising militancy in Afghanistan as Moscow invades Ukraine
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the three Central Asian states that border Afghanistan intended to defend their borders through security reinforcement and diplomacy, primarily relying on Russian initiatives.
Decoding the role of mainstream and social media in the recent anti-Muslim violence in India
“Hindus are under threat,” “Muslims should be treated as second class citizens,” and “Secularism marginalizes India's Hindus” were the top narrative frames present in media items in the CMO research.
Rising anti-Muslim sentiment across India instigated by ultra-right Hindu groups
Communal clashes between right-wing Hindu supremacist groups and the minority Muslim community have been reported across India on two recent Hindu festivals within a span of a week.
Blood, tears, and anger in Khorog
A first-hand account of a Pamiri woman and her participation in protests in a region of eastern Tajikistan that for decades has witnessed state violence and oppression.
Why hasn't Jamaica made Bob Marley a national hero yet?
Marley's shaping of Black consciousness, “lyrical activism,” representation of reggae and Rastafari, and his “One Love” philosophy were cited as part of the bid to make him a national hero.
In São Paulo, Brazil, a new church opens every week
In the last decade, São Paulo saw a 34% increase in Evangelical churches — a new church opening every week on average. Agência Mural spoke to specialists to understand the movement and consider the impact.
Undertones: Putin’s war emboldens promoters of a ‘United India’
Hindu nationalists are drawing parallels between the breakdown of the Soviet Union and the division of India after colonial rule.
The hijab on Algerian TV: An end to all things French
The move is praised by many Algerians as more reflective of nation's Islamic identity. Experts also say the decision restores hope among young veiled Algerian media students of claiming spots on screen.
Redefining identities: Land encroachment in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province
Trincomalee’s claim to being at the centrality of Sri Lanka’s pluralistic and multicultural identity continues to be re-interpreted as a place homogenous to one race, one religion, one ethnicity.
Azerbaijani journalist and queer activist murdered
Hafizli's sparked a public outcry on social media platforms, with many activists criticizing Azerbaijan's history of inaction when addressing hate crimes, specifically those targeting marginalized groups in the country.
The Beijing Winter Olympics: A wedding adjacent to a funeral
Are IOC leaders that naïve, or do they lack the vision to understand the concept of genocide and what it is like to be voiceless in a one-party regime?
The police officer who allegedly cut a young Jamaican's dreadlocks faces no criminal charges, and nobody bats an eye
"It is a worrying trend, as victims are blamed for their own trauma."
Hijab ban stirs protests in the Indian state of Karnataka
Protests have broken out in the southern state of Karnataka in India over the past months, after colleges in the state banned women students wearing hijabs from attending classes.
Concerted attacks against Bangladeshi activists on Facebook
In a recent collaborative attack by unknown perpetrators, the Facebook profiles of several celebrities, journalists, media personalities and activists from Bangladesh were mysteriously turned into tribute profiles.
Jerusalem Christians: ‘We shrunk from 20% to 2% of population due to Israeli violence’
Church leaders in Jerusalem referred in a statement to "organized and systematic" physical and verbal assaults against priests, attacks on churches, and acts of desecration and vandalism on sanctities and holy sites.
The issue of the Jamaican police allegedly cutting a young woman's dreadlocks remains unresolved
"Ms. King is symbolic of the ‘have nots;’ in Jamaica, who continue to be neglected and whose human rights are so often disregarded and abused."
Death of a student sparks debate on religious community-run housing in Turkey
With Kara's death, controversy over private religious community-run housing has emerged, with critics calling on the AKP to abolish these dormitories and turn them into public student housing.
‘The Club,’ Netflix's new hit TV series, braves Turkey's troubled past
At the heart of the series are the Sephardic Jews but the new Netflix series, The Club also brings in the stories of Istanbul Armenians, and Greeks.