Sacred Nation

For generations, people have moved from rural areas to cities to find opportunities. But new research shows neighborhoods in Indian cities are segregated according to caste and religion, and that impacts upward mobility for residents.

On Thursday, the 14th Dalai Lama turns 88 years old. The Tibetan spiritual leader and prominent Buddhist figure is the longest serving in the line of Dalai Lamas in Tibetan history. As he gets older, the prospect of his demise — and what happens after — is looming.

The night of April 5 marks the beginning of Passover. Traditionally, Jewish families gather around the dinner table for the holiday with a festive meal where they eat matzah and read aloud from the Haggadah. The text tells the Passover story, guiding readers through a tale of redemption. On Wednesday night, many Ukrainians will be reading the Haggadah in their own language for the first time.

This month, the Ukrainian government issued an eviction notice to clergy at Pecherska Lavra, where some Orthodox Christians may still have close ties with Russia.

Happy Science is among the most enduring and far-reaching “new religious movement,” as they’re called in Japan. 

As a young man, Purnendu Goswami was a proud Hindu nationalist who went to extremes to promote his beliefs. Now 49, he describes himself as a humanist who practices “radical love."

Pastor Gábor Iványi is one of Hungary’s best-known religious leaders. He officiated over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s wedding and baptized two of his children. Today, he is one of Orbán’s fiercest critics.

A messianic sect holds sway with Japan’s ruling party. The murder of ex-premier Shinzo Abe is forcing the country to reckon with this shadowy alliance.

Evangelicals now make up a third of the population of Brazil. And their votes could be decisive in this weekend's tight presidential election. Michelle Bolsonaro, wife of the incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro, is doing her part to get out the vote — especially among women. 

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been accused of using anti-Semitic tropes to promote his vision of Hungarian nationalism. Some members of the Jewish community say this makes them uncomfortable, but Jewish leaders have been slow to speak out about it.