Here is a look at some news stories from around the web this week:
- Time: Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has a record of protecting religious minorities, evidenced by his opinion in Hobby Lobby, which was later vindicated by the Supreme Court.
- In Virginia, lawyers for the Council on American-Islamic Relations asked a federal judge to issue an injunction against the entire executive order, which the lawyers claim would be broader than the injunctions issued by other federal courts around the country.
- Muslim and Jewish groups have been able to strengthen their bonds of friendship amid acts of bigotry undertaken against them.
- In Texas, legislators are considering bolstering religious protections for faith-based groups hired by the state to place children in foster homes.
- According to a study by the Pew Research Center, a majority of states have all Christian congressional delegations, despite the fact that only 71% of American adults identify as Christian.
- In Alabama, a megachurch is attempting to persuade legislators into allowing the church to employ its own police force.
- In the UK, more than a dozen faith leaders of different religions met with officers of Scotland Yard to discuss responses to the Westminster terrorist attack, and joined in condemning the attack while promoting solidarity.
- In Wales, a church is under pressure to reconsider its decision not promote a senior clergyman to bishop, after it appeared that the decision was made based on the clergyman’s sexuality.
- Yazidis in the Middle East who have fought against ISIS have been forced to flee again, as violent clashes have erupted between the Yazidis and Kurdish peshmerga forces.