Peter  Harrison’s “Some New World”: Faith, Reason, and the Afterlife of Belief bitterwinter.org/peter-harrison… The Australian scholar has produced what may well be the most important book on religion in recent years.

Silk Roads and Surveillance: How Aid Became a Tool of Control in Xinjiang bitterwinter.org/silk-roads-and… Repackaging repression as “assistance” is a primary tool of Chinese propaganda. A report unmasks a strategy based on lies.

Pakistan’s Own Commission Confirms Discrimination Against Religious Minority Children bitterwinter.org/pakistans-own-… Pakistani authorities often dismiss claims of mistreatment of minorities as foreign propaganda. An official Pakistani body now confirms them.

Stop Dealing with Thieves. America Must Recognize the Uyghurs’ Stake in Rare Earths bitterwinter.org/opinion-stop-d… China is committing genocide against the Uyghurs precisely to secure permanent control over strategic resources such as rare earths A Uyghur journalist’s appeal to the U.S.

Free Mother Han! A Night of Prayer and Conviction Outside the Prison Walls bitterwinter.org/free-mother-ha… Hundreds of believers and friends gather every night in front of the jail in Seoul where the Family Federation leader is imprisoned. We went to meet them.

“Silent Honor”: China’s Latest TV Drama Turns Spies into Saints—and Taiwan into a Sentimental Target bitterwinter.org/silent-honor-c… It’s not just espionage chic. The Ministry of State Security developed a script that evoked strong feelings about the “unavoidable” reunification.

H. Rider Haggard, John Dube, and Simon Magus: The Imperial Occult bitterwinter.org/h-rider-haggar… The forgotten meeting between the Victorian novelist and the South African religious and political activist—and Simon Magus’ excellent book on Haggard.

In Their Shoes: A Soleful Resistance at Kaunas’ Ninth Fort bitterwinter.org/in-their-shoes… A unique exhibition tells the story of Lithuanian anti-Soviet partisans through their boots and shoes.

Yunnan: Lisu Christian Detained for Organizing Religious Gatherings bitterwinter.org/yunnan-lisu-ch… Li Guiwen’s arrest confirms that the present crackdown on independent churches has a a particularly harsh impact on those serving ethnic minority believers.

Pakistan Bans Tehreek-e-Labbaik: Just a Symbolic Blow to Anti-Minority Extremism? bitterwinter.org/pakistan-bans-… The extremist organization has repeatedly demonstrated that it can overcome bans and reorganize with new shapes and names, as long as the broader problems remain unaddressed.

“Three Closures in a Row”: Applauding the Party Becomes Mandatory in China bitterwinter.org/three-closures… Influencers with millions of followers were shut down not for criticizing the Communist Party—but for failing to praise it.

Trafficking Case Against Hindu Group Dismissed: Victory for Religious Liberty bitterwinter.org/trafficking-ca… Accusations against BAPS collapsed, exposing how minority religions are too often miscast as criminal. When devotion is mistaken for coercion, freedom of religion is put at risk.

A Flicker of Light in the Shadows: Mother Han’s Temporary Release—But Justice Is Still Far Away bitterwinter.org/a-flicker-of-l… She is now allowed a few days of medical care. She should be freed, unconditionally.

The Price of Truth: How a British University Folded Under Beijing’s Glare bitterwinter.org/the-price-of-t… Sheffield Hallam University, under Chinese pressure, ordered a leading professor to stop research on forced labor in the Uyghur region.

USCIRF’s 2025 Sahel Report: Religious Freedom Under Siege bitterwinter.org/uscirfs-2025-s… Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Chad continue to witness deadly violence by non-state actors and insufficient protection of religion by the governments.

Three Pastors of Xi’an Church of Abundance Re-Arrested Amid Ongoing Legal Uncertainty bitterwinter.org/three-pastors-… Pastor Lian Changnian, his son Pastor Lian Xuliang, and Preacher Fu Juan were detained on November 2, 2025.

Revisiting a Forgotten Alliance: Kim Dae Jung, the Moons, and Korea’s Democratic Journey bitterwinter.org/revisiting-a-f… Kim was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democracy and human rights. He had a friendly relationship with Reverend and Mrs. Moon.

Liaoning: Falun Gong Practitioner, 74, Dies Four Days After Release from Jail bitterwinter.org/liaoning-falun… Detention in the notorious Shenyang City First Prison destroyed the physical and mental health of Men Yulin.

IMboni Samuel Radebe’s Visit to Mother Han: A Journey of Spirit, Sacrifice, and Solidarity bitterwinter.org/imboni-samuel-… The leader of The Revelation Spiritual Home traveled to Korea to meet with the detained leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

The Lion That Roared Before Lithuania Was Christian bitterwinter.org/the-lion-that-… The Žygaičiai Lion is the enigmatic centerpiece of the Lithuanian art exhibition at Kaunas’ Čiurlionis Museum