PARIS (AP) — The number of anti-Semitic acts reported in France last year fell, but there’s still a hotline staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to report such incidents in the country. Jews in France for the most part live in safety and participate freely in French public life, and most anti-Semitic acts target property and not people. But the existence of the hotline speaks to the fact that anti-Semitism often lurks just below the surface. An... Read more

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has condemned the desecration of the Muslim holy book as well as attacks on mosques over the past few days. On Thursday in the town of Ben Guerdane near the Libyan border, two mosques were vandalized and their Qurans damaged. On Friday a Star of David, a symbol of Judaism, was spray painted on the al-Fath mosque in the capital, Tunis. The ministry on Monday denounced the acts as seeking to... Read more

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission says Hungary needs to correct serious flaws in its new church law and in judicial reforms to ensure their compliance with international standards. In draft opinions released Monday, the commission said that while the law cutting the number of recognized churches from over 350 to 32 is “a liberal and generous framework for the freedom of religion,” the requirements set for churches to be officially recognized by Parliament are excessive... Read more

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lawyers for two priests accused of raping boys in the mid-1990s plan to attack the victims’ motives when the landmark trial starts next week in Philadelphia. Defense lawyers revealed their strategy at a pretrial hearing Monday. The Rev. James Brennan’s lawyer will tell jurors that his client’s accuser sought the priest out as an adult when he needed to do court-ordered community service. Defrocked priest Edward Avery’s accuser was expelled from an archdiocesan high school at age... Read more

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lawyers for two priests accused of raping boys in the mid-1990s plan to attack the victims’ motives when the landmark trial starts next week in Philadelphia. Defense lawyers revealed their strategy at a pretrial hearing Monday. The Rev. James Brennan’s lawyer will tell jurors that his client’s accuser sought the priest out as an adult when he needed to do court-ordered community service. Defrocked priest Edward Avery’s accuser was expelled from an archdiocesan high school at age... Read more

NNEWI, Nigeria (AP) — Gathered for discussions about a funeral, a town hall meeting held in northern Nigeria by members of a Christian ethnic group turned into a bloodbath as members of a radical Islamist sect opened fire with assault rifles. At least 20 members of the Igbo people of Nigeria’s east died in that Jan. 6 attack. More attacks have followed, specifically targeting the largest Christian group living across Nigeria’s Muslim north. Many Igbos are now fleeing the north... Read more

HAVANA (AP) — One of Cuba’s leading dissidents said Monday that she was released hours after being detained ahead of a weekly protest, but her husband was apparently still being held. Bertha Soler, leader of the Ladies in White opposition group, said authorities have also warned her not to spoil Pope Benedict XVI’s visit next week. She said she and three dozen supporters were taken into custody early Sunday when they tried to reach a Havana church to protest. About... Read more

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has turned down an appeal from Christian groups that challenged a discrimination policy at California state universities. The justices on Monday are leaving in place a federal appeals court ruling that found that the policy doesn’t violate the Constitution. The policy says officially recognized campus groups can’t discriminate based on religion or sexual orientation. A Christian fraternity and a sorority at San Diego State University sued in 2005, arguing that the policy violates their... Read more

CAIRO (AP) — An International Monetary Fund team on Monday discussed a $3.2 billion loan to shore up Egypt’s economy, battered by the effects of political unrest that followed the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak a year ago. Egypt’s leaders decided the nation needs the loan to prevent a further decline, but the country’s largest political movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, said the government must come up with a clear economic program before it could support taking the huge loan. The... Read more

TOULOUSE, France (AP) — French prime minister: Secure all schools and religious buildings after shootings. Read more