NY City Council passes bill to protect Muslim pilgrims from Hajj scams

by News Feed Editor | May 22, 2026 | Religion

(RNS) — The New York City Council passed a bill to educate New Yorkers on scams related to the Hajj and Umrah, the Islamic pilgrimages performed by millions every year. The first of its kind, the New York City bill aims to protect pilgrims, and particularly seniors,...

As Iran war persists, some US Muslims consider risks of Mecca pilgrimage

by News Feed Editor | May 22, 2026 | Religion

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (RNS and NPR) — Juber Ahmed, a pharmacist, and his mother, Shamima Akther, are preparing for a trip to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage — a once-in-a-lifetime experience that’s considered a sacred obligation for Muslims. The...

Eli Lilly sues church leaders for alleged $200 million ‘sham’ drug program

by News Feed Editor | May 22, 2026 | Religion

(RNS) — A group of leaders in the Church of God in Christ have been accused in a lawsuit of defrauding a major pharmaceutical company out of more than $200 million in rebates for diabetes drugs. In a complaint filed Tuesday (May 19) in the U.S. District Court for the...

Silicon Valley turns to Rome as Pope Leo XIV prepares AI encyclical

by News Feed Editor | May 22, 2026 | Religion

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — On Monday (May 25), Pope Leo XIV will release his first major papal document, an encyclical titled “Magnifica Humanitas” or “Magnificent Humanity,” expected to update Catholic social teaching for the age of artificial intelligence. Leo signed the...

Inside the unlikely Vatican-Anthropic relationship that’s reshaping the AI ethics debate

by News Feed Editor | May 22, 2026 | Religion

(RNS) — When news broke last week that Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical focused on artificial intelligence would be releasing on Monday (May 25), a wave of debate swept through Catholic and tech circles alike. According to Brian Green, it wasn’t the encyclical itself,...

After years fostering interfaith ties, San Diego mosque finds allies in grief

by News Feed Editor | May 21, 2026 | Religion

(RNS) — For years before Monday’s deadly shooting, the Islamic Center of San Diego stood out as a place that welcomed anyone through its doors — Muslim or not. The mosque’s imam, Taha Hassane, spent decades cultivating relationships with clergy, neighbors and...