News from August 2017
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion, freedom to change religion or belief, and freedom to express one’s religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice, and observance. Discrimination on the basis of religion is prohibited. Nondenominational “spirituality" classes, including morals, values,...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution defines the state as secular, prohibits religious discrimination, and provides for freedom of religion. The law requires religious groups to seek government recognition by meeting rigorous criteria. In April the Huambo provincial court convicted Jose Kalupeteka, leader of the Light of...
By Commerce Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement today in response to a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analyzing the impact ending the Affordable Care Act’s cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments would have on the health care markets and the federal budget...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion, with certain exceptions, and protection against governmental discrimination on the basis of creed. The government deported a U.S. pastor from the Faithful World Baptist Church on September 20 for visa improprieties and for his participation in a radio...
By Commerce Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement in reaction to President Trump’s executive order on establishing accountability in the environmental review and permitting process for infrastructure projects.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution states that while the official religion is the Shafi’i school of Islam, all other religions may be practiced “in peace and harmony." The government permitted Shafi’i Muslims and members of non-Muslim religious minorities to practice their faiths, but has banned several religious groups...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution provides for the free exercise of all religions. The government officially recognizes only the Roman Catholic Church, classifying other religious groups as religious associations with fewer rights and privileges than the Catholic Church. Non-Catholic religious groups criticized what...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The United States recognizes the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and Tibetan autonomous prefectures and counties in other provinces to be a part of the People’s Republic of China. The constitution of the People’s Republic of China states citizens “enjoy freedom of religious belief" but limits protections...
By Homeland Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: HOUSTON - A Houston-area restaurant has partnered with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) by joining the agency’s employment compliance program called “IMAGE," or ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution states the country is a secular state, and both it and other laws provide for the right of individuals to choose and change their religion and to practice the religion of their choice. The government subsidized travel costs for Muslim Hajj pilgrims and allocated subsidies to the four...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution declares Islam to be the official religion and sharia to be a principal source for legislation. It provides for freedom of conscience, the inviolability of places of worship, and freedom to perform religious rites. The constitution guarantees the right to express and publish opinions...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution provides for the right, individually or jointly with others, to adhere to any religion or to no religion, and to participate in religious customs and ceremonies. The constitution says religious organizations shall be separate from the state and “shall not interfere in state affairs."...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution prohibits religious discrimination and provides for freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the right to worship, alone or in community with others, and to change religion or belief. Although the law requires new religious groups to register, unregistered groups were...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution provides for religious freedom, including the freedom to change religions, proselytize, and establish religious schools. These rights may restricted by laws “reasonably required" to achieve certain listed public goals.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution provides for “complete freedom of religion," separation of church and state, and equality for all regardless of religion. It prohibits persecution on the basis of religion. Laws and policies grant the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) privileges not accorded to any other religious group,...
By DOJ Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: Admitted he transferred images from phones confiscated from students, to his personal thumb drive, without their consent or knowledge and shared the images on a Russian website.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution declares the country to be a sovereign Muslim state and Islam to be the religion of the state. The constitution guarantees freedom of thought, expression, and assembly and the free exercise of belief to everyone. The constitution states the king is the protector of Islam and the guarantor...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution guarantees freedom of religion and its public expression and prohibits compelling participation in religious ceremonies. Roman Catholicism is the state religion and state ceremonies often included Catholic rituals. Religious groups had to apply to the Minister of Interior to build a public place of worship. Optional Catholic religious instruction was available in public schools.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of worship as well as the right to practice and change religion. Rastafarians continued to express concern that government practices, including the prohibition of marijuana use, required vaccination for entry to public schools, and headdress restrictions, negatively impacted their religious activities and convictions. They also reported being subjected to undue scrutiny at security checkpoints.
By DOJ Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Rorn Sorn (34, St. Petersburg) to six years and five months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on April 24, 2017.
