HUMANITARIAN FEATURES
LATEST
DRUG PREVENTION
CDC Reports Steepest Drop in Overdose Deaths Since 1979
America’s overdose death toll fell sharply in 2024, with fentanyl deaths down nearly 37 percent. But experts warn the crisis is far from over.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
80 Years Later, Schindler’s Factory Reopens as Holocaust Museum in Czech Republic
Oskar Schindler’s complex legacy is commemorated at the newly opened museum, highlighting his role in saving 1,200 Jews.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Right Out of the Gate, Pope Leo XIV Forcefully Advocates Religious Freedom
From Eastern Christians to global interfaith outreach, the new pope makes religious freedom a top priority.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Global Survey Finds Majority Worldwide Believe in Spirits, God and Life After Death
From Latin America to Southeast Asia, beliefs in reincarnation, spirits and the afterlife are prevalent. Pew’s findings suggest that spirituality remains a significant aspect of belief systems globally.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Georgia Becomes State #30 to Enact Religious Freedom Restoration Act at State Level
The new law strengthens protections for faith, but faces backlash over fears it enables discrimination.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
French Court of Cassation Affirms Religious Freedom in Deacon Dismissal Case
France’s highest court rules that religious institutions’ internal decisions are beyond the reach of secular courts, reinforcing the separation of church and state.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Pope Francis Remembered: A Voice That Spoke the Many Languages of God
He washed the feet of Muslims, Hindus, Copts and Catholics and called religious persecution “a sin against God.” Pope Francis’ defiance of hate is his lasting legacy.
HUMAN RIGHTS
CCHR and Child Abuse Survivors Honored for Exposing Psychiatric Torture at Lake Alice
New Zealand’s psychiatric system hid decades of torture and abuse—until survivors and watchdogs ripped the cover off a national disgrace.
ARTS & CULTURE
Writers and Illustrators of the Future Crowns Storytellers of Tomorrow
The 41st annual Writers of the Future Awards celebrated a new generation of authors and artists—launching careers and showcasing science fiction as the literature of ideas.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Lawmakers Join US Commission on International Religious Freedom to Demand Global Action
One-third of the world still punishes belief with death or prison. A new report calls for decisive US action to defend religious liberty.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
New Pew Survey Reveals Diverse and Enduring Religious Belief in the United States
Pew’s latest data shows America is not losing religion but diversifying faith—92 percent still believe in a higher power or spiritual reality.
VOLUNTEERISM
Church of Scientology Hosts Hero Awards Gala for Southern California Firefighters
They faced walls of flame, slept in cars and lost their own homes—yet kept fighting to save others. The Hero Awards Gala honored Southern California's bravest: the LA firefighters who never gave up.
