Since China's new regulations for religious affairs took effect Feb. 1, minors have been banned from entering places of worship in several regions.

The law has fueled a diplomatic crisis with Israel, which fears it would enable Poland to whitewash the role of the Poles who killed or denounced Jews during the Holocaust.

The Russians directed propaganda toward religious groups on Facebook; the social-media site is responding with new hurdles for ads from churches and parishes.

During his comments to the pro-government National Constituent Assembly Jan. 15, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also ordered the attorney general to investigate the bishops for hate crimes.

The language spoken by Jesus and kept alive by Syriac Christians finds an unlikely haven in Paramus, New Jersey.

Nominated to the post in July by President Donald Trump, Brownback was confirmed Jan. 24. The Senate vote was 49-49 and Vice President Mike Pence cast the tiebreaking vote.