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MAUNA KEA, Hawaii (RNS) — Demonstrators have flocked to this mountain to stop construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope for reasons that are partly environmental and partly religious.

Hkalam Samson, president of the Kachin Baptist Convention of Myanmar, has been accused of “knowingly giving false information” during his trip to the United States for the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in mid-July.

HONG KONG (BP) -- The withdrawal of an extradition bill that threatened religious freedom in Hong Kong is not enough to satisfy Christians and others amid protests there, a Christian advocate told Baptist Press Wednesday (Sept. 4).

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- John Schnatter, founder of Papa John’s, announced a $1 million gift to Simmons College of Kentucky today (Sept. 4), declaring, “Supporting Simmons College is a better investment to build a better community.”

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- "After the assessments we will know what kind of help we need [in the Bahamas]," Baptist Global Response Executive Director Jeff Palmer said. "It might involve medical help, food, water, shelter -- you can imagine what the needs might be based on a storm like this."

NEW YORK CITY (BP) -- People crowded onto Jacob Riis Park and Beach in Queens on a hot July afternoon to witness 51 people baptized. As exciting as that Saturday beach baptism was for The Journey Church, one of the city's largest Southern Baptist churches, it wasn't necessarily out of the ordinary.

According to a Gallup report, approval of unions among U.S. adults 64 percent, the highest support level since 2003 and the third year in a row that approval was above 60 percent. A decade ago, support was at its lowest since polling began, at 48 percent. This is the highest support level since 2003 (65%) and the third year in a row that approval was above 60%.

CHICAGO (RNS) — Growing across both conservative and progressive denominations, the dinner church movement sees gathering together for a meal itself as worship, rather than just another church potluck after worship.

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico (BP) -- With Hurricane Dorian missing the island of Puerto Rico, it now is making its way northward. The National Hurricane Center projects the storm will gain strength, potentially becoming a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall in Florida early Monday morning (Sept. 1).

(RNS) — For Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, investing in faith outreach isn’t just strategic. It’s personal. How he will use faith outreach as a modern Democrat, however, is less clear.