RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Soldiers who don’t believe in God can go to war with “Atheist” stamped on their dog tags, but humanists and others with various secular beliefs are still officially invisible in the Army. Maj. Ray Bradley is currently to be the first humanist recognized as a “distinctive faith group leader” by the Army. In the meantime, he can’t be designated as a humanist on his official records or dog tags, although he can be classified as an... Read more

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The fevered battle over a 57-year-old Jesus statue at a northwest Montana ski resort escalated Wednesday with a new lawsuit arguing the Forest Service needs to boot the relic from its mountaintop perch. The legal challenge from a Wisconsin-based group of atheists and agnostics follows a decision last week by the Forest Service to reverse an original decision to reject a new permit for the statue, which occupies a 25-by-25 foot patch of land at Whitefish... Read more

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI receives many invitations and that a trip to Lebanon is under consideration but that there are no plans for a visit to Iran. The Italian news agency ANSA on Wednesday quoted Iran’s ambassador to the Holy See as saying Iran issued an invitation to the pope in 2010 and that he would be welcomed to that country with “enthusiasm.” Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi says the pope does have... Read more

DHARMSALA, India (AP) — Chinese repression has lead to the self-immolations of nearly two dozen Tibetans and deadly clashes with Chinese authorities, the head of Tibet’s government-in-exile said Wednesday. “Tibetans inside Tibet are giving up their lives. They’re saying, ‘I choose to die,'” Lobsang Sangay, the leader of the self-declared exile government, said after an afternoon prayer vigil at the main temple in this Indian hill town. Around 20 Tibetans, many of them monks or nuns, have set themselves on... Read more

ROME (AP) — The Vatican’s sex crimes prosecutor has warned bishops that they must follow the church’s laws and standards on dealing with priests who sexually abuse children or face possible church sanctions for negligence. Monsignor Charles Scicluna spoke Wednesday on the sidelines of a Vatican-backed symposium on clerical sex abuse that is designed to help bishops craft guidelines to protect children and keep pedophiles out of the priesthood. Abuse victims have long denounced the lack of accountability of bishops... Read more

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI has called for prayers for the victims of the cold wave that is sweeping through Europe and offered encouragement to efforts to provide assistance to those in need. Appearing at his weekly public audience Wednesday, Benedict expressed his closeness to those who are suffering from the cold and said “I am asking for prayers for the victims and their families.” Europeans have been battling more than a week of extreme weather, with thousands... Read more

LEWISVILLE, Texas (AP) — Friends recalled John and Wanda Casias as “spiritual soldiers” who gave their lives to God and hearts to Mexico, where the American missionaries were slain last week. Hundreds attended a funeral service Wednesday at the couple’s home church in the Dallas suburb of Lewisville. The mourners paid their last respects amid photographs of the two, colorful flowers and flags of the U.S. and their beloved Mexico, where the pair worked sharing the Gospel for at least... Read more

NEW DELHI (AP) — Three government ministers accused of watching a pornographic video in a state assembly in southern India have resigned. The governor of Karnataka state accepted the ministers’ resignations on Wednesday. Local television channels filmed one of the ministers watching the allegedly pornographic video clip on his mobile phone. He then passed the phone to his colleague, who also watched the clip while assembly proceedings were going on. The mobile phone belonged to the third minister. The three... Read more

MALE, Maldives (AP) — The Maldives’ new president promised to protect his predecessor from retribution after he stepped down amid protests and clashes between the army and police over his decision to arrest a top judge. President Mohammed Waheed Hassan, who was sworn in Tuesday, called for chaos on the streets to stop and for citizens of this Indian Ocean island nation to work together after months of political turmoil. “I urge everyone to make this a peaceful country,” he... Read more

MALE, Maldives (AP) — The Maldives’ new president promised to protect his predecessor from retribution after he stepped down amid protests and clashes between the army and police over his decision to arrest a top judge. President Mohammed Waheed Hassan, who was sworn in Tuesday, called for chaos on the streets to stop and for citizens of this Indian Ocean island nation to work together after months of political turmoil. “I urge everyone to make this a peaceful country,” he... Read more