By FāVS News Staff
Spokane Buddhist Temple rings in new year with mochi, bell ceremony
The Spokane Buddhist Temple will host its annual Joya-E New Year’s Eve celebration Dec. 31, beginning with MochiFest from 4-6:15 p.m. Guests can purchase freshly made traditional mochi, dessert mochi and inari sushi, along with special side dishes including onigiri with mixed rice and wakame seaweed salad. Japanese items will also be available for sale.
The evening continues with the Joya-E New Year’s Eve Service at 6:30 p.m., where attendees can participate in ringing the temple’s large Konsho, or “calling bell,” 108 times. The ritual symbolically rings out the 108 sources of human suffering — including stress, worry and frustration — while ringing in aspirations to overcome attachment, greed and anger in the coming year. The temple invites the community to join in this time of reflection and gratitude for the causes and conditions that have sustained life through another year.
Federal judge orders release of Muslim veteran from ICE detention
The Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Washington chapter praised a federal court decision Dec. 22 to release Muhammad Zahid Chaudhry, a U.S. Army veteran and prominent Muslim community member, from immigration detention. U.S. District Court Judge David G. Estudillo ordered Chaudhry freed from the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, where he had been held since Aug. 21 after being detained during a citizenship interview at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Tukwila.
Chaudhry’s wife, Melissa Chaudhry, said the U.S. attorney apologized directly to the court and her husband for the wrongful detention. “This should never have happened, and they admitted it,” she said in a statement. “My family will be whole again. My children will have their Baba home.” CAIR-WA Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi called the decision “much needed hope” for the community and expressed hope it would be “the first step in ensuring Zahid is freed permanently.” Chaudhry had been separated from his wife and two young children during his four-month detention.
U.S. Lawmakers Visit Nigeria Amid Religious Violence Concerns
Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, arrived in Nigeria’s capital earlier this month as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation to meet with government and religious leaders about protecting Christians from violence. The visit follows President Donald Trump’s October designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” for religious freedom threats, with Trump threatening potential U.S. military intervention against Islamic terrorist groups if Nigeria doesn’t act. Baumgartner cited reports claiming thousands of Christians have been killed by extremist groups this year, though the extent to which violence in Nigeria is religiously motivated is disputed among experts.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Bellevue, cautioned against military intervention, saying Nigeria faces broader terrorist and criminal gang problems rather than a targeted effort to eliminate Christians. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu responded to Trump’s threats by affirming his government’s commitment to religious freedom, noting that religious tolerance has long been central to Nigeria’s identity. Baumgartner said he hopes the delegation’s visit demonstrates international support for persecuted religious communities while emphasizing he opposes full-scale U.S. military intervention.
Documentary links U.S. military to climate crisis in Spokane screening
Journalist Abby Martin will appear in person for a special screening of her documentary “Earth’s Greatest Enemy” on Jan. 17 at 3 p.m. at the Magic Lantern Theater, 25 W. Main Ave. The film examines the U.S. military’s role as the world’s largest institutional consumer of fossil fuels and its environmental impact on ecosystems worldwide. Drawing on testimonies from veterans, scientists and frontline communities, the documentary explores military operations’ effects on climate change, from Alaska’s melting glaciers to contaminated bases and toxic battlefields abroad.
The screening, hosted by the Inland Northwest Coalition for the Liberation of Palestine and Party for Socialism and Liberation with support from several local organizations, will be followed by a Q&A with Martin, co-director of The Empire Files. A solidarity social gathering will follow at the Community Building, 35 W. Main, featuring food from Jerusalem Food Truck and Palestine Cola. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Reservations and donations are available at Eventbrite.com.
Some summaries created with help of AI. Staff still carefully edited material for content quality and publication standards.
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