Law & Court
Jurors weigh fate of Afghan refugee charged with murder in a case that shocked Muslim community
By Susan Montoya Bryan — March 18, 2024
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Muhammad Syed is charged with three counts of murder and four charges of tampering with evidence.
Nearly 500 victims of church sex abuse in France have received financial compensation
By Barbara Surk — March 15, 2024
NICE, France (AP) — The report described a “systemic” coverup by church officials and urged the French Catholic Church to respect the rule of law in France.
A Wisconsin ruling on Catholic Charities raises the bar for religious tax exemptions
By Todd Richmond — March 14, 2024
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — U.S. religious institutions enjoy tax exemptions, most notably from property taxes. Debate has raged for decades over whether the exemptions are fair.
Zimbabwe police rescue 251 children used as labor and find graves in religious sect compound raid
By Farai Mutsaka — March 14, 2024
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Apostolic groups that infuse traditional beliefs into a Pentecostal doctrine are popular in the deeply religious southern African country.
Alabama’s IVF protection law redefines embryonic personhood
By Mark Silk — March 13, 2024
(RNS) — A process that is taking place across the country.
India’s new citizenship law excludes Muslims. Here’s what to know
By Sheikh Saaliq — March 12, 2024
NEW DELHI (AP) — The implementation of the law has been one of the key poll promises of Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the run-up to the general election, which is scheduled to be held by May.
Afghan refugee stands trial in first of 3 killings that shocked Albuquerque’s Muslim community
By Susan Montoya Bryan — March 12, 2024
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — While some court documents remain sealed, others shed no light on a possible motive, leaving Albuquerque's Muslim community struggling to understand why the men were targeted.
Sex abuse survivors dispute Southern Baptist leadership and say federal investigation is ongoing
By Peter Smith — March 11, 2024
(AP) — The SBC has faced a reckoning over its handling of sexual abuse since a 2019 report by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express News, documenting hundreds of abuse cases in Southern Baptist churches.
Baltimore to pay $275k in legal fees after trying to block far-right Catholic group’s 2021 rally
By Peter Smith — March 11, 2024
(AP) — Church Militant has been known for publishing stories against LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church and strongly criticizing its advocates, among other controversial topics.
9 Jehovah’s Witnesses convicted of extremism for practicing faith in Russia
By Kathryn Post — March 7, 2024
(RNS) — The men received sentences of up to seven years in a penal colony for practicing their faith.
Swiss teenager arrested on suspicion of stabbing an Orthodox Jewish man on a Zurich street
By Associated Press — March 5, 2024
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The Swiss Organization of Jewish Communities said it was “deeply shocked that a community member fell victim to such an attack.”
Catholic news site Church Militant agrees to pay $500k in defamation case and is expected to close
By Peter Smith — March 5, 2024
(AP) — Church Militant and its sleek newscasts drew a loyal following for years with a mix of fiercely right-wing politics and radically conservative Catholicism in which many of America’s bishops were viewed with suspicion and disgust.
Alito argues that religious bias is better than any other kind
By Mark Silk — February 29, 2024
(RNS) — The Supreme Court justice said a Missouri case proves he was right about same-sex marriage.
Man to plead guilty in ‘killing spree’ of eagles and other birds for feathers prized by tribes
By Matthew Brown — February 28, 2024
(AP) — Federal officials have not said how many eagles were killed or what other kinds of birds were involved in the scheme, which they say began in 2015 and continued until 2021.
Alabama IVF decision is bad law with religious filigree
By Mark Silk — February 26, 2024
(RNS) — Being a religious conservative doesn't necessarily make you a theocrat.
