Law & Court
Suspect in stabbing death of eastern Nebraska priest had no connection to priest, prosecutor says
By Josh Funk — December 15, 2023
FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (AP) — The 65-year-old priest called 911 before dawn Sunday to report that a man had broken into the rectory and was in his kitchen holding a knife.
Denmark widens terror investigation that coincides with arrests of alleged Hamas members in Germany
By Jan M. Olsen — December 15, 2023
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish intelligence agency PET on Thursday announced the arrests of three people on suspicion of plotting to carry out “an act of terror."
How the presidents of Harvard, Penn and MIT testified to Congress on antisemitism
By Annie Ma — December 13, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — Republicans and Democrats alike criticized responses the presidents gave at the Dec. 5 hearing of a U.S. House committee on antisemitism on college campuses.
As few details are released, fatal stabbing of Catholic priest rocks small Nebraska community
By Josh Funk — December 12, 2023
FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (AP) — The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, who served at St. John the Baptist church, was attacked during what authorities called a break-in early Sunday. He died despite being rushed to an Omaha hospital
New charge filed against man accused of firing shotgun outside New York synagogue
By Associated Press — December 12, 2023
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The new charge stems from the recent purchase of the shotgun authorities said he used in the shooting.
Indiana’s appeals court hears arguments challenging abortion ban under a state religious freedom law
By Isabella Volmert — December 7, 2023
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The lawsuit argues the ban violates Jewish teachings that “a fetus attains the status of a living person only at birth."
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Denmark’s parliament adopts a law making it illegal to burn the Quran or other religious texts
By Jan M. Olsen — December 7, 2023
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — This year alone, activists have staged more than 500 protests, including burnings of the Quran, in front of embassies of Muslim countries, places of worship and in immigrant neighborhoods.
Hindu nationalists notwithstanding, barring caste discrimination is not anti-Hindu
By Mark Silk — November 29, 2023
(RNS) — A new federal court decision said it found no evidence of bias in Cal State’s policy.
In the US, Black survivors are nearly invisible in the Catholic clergy sexual abuse crisis
By Lea Skene and Tiffany Stanley — November 29, 2023
BALTIMORE (AP) — Cases of clergy abuse among African Americans are especially underreported, according to experts.
Maine court hears arguments on removing time limits on child sex abuse lawsuits
By David Sharp — November 10, 2023
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine removed its time limits in 2000 to sue over childhood sexual abuse, but not retroactively, leaving survivors without recourse for older cases dating back decades.
Largest Christian university in US faces record fine after federal probe into alleged deception
By Collin Binkley — November 1, 2023
WASHINGTON (AP) — Grand Canyon University faces the largest fine of its kind ever issued by the U.S. Education Department.
The pope’s absolute power, and the problems it can cause, are on display in 2 Vatican trials
By Nicole Winfield — October 19, 2023
VATICAN CITY (AP) — On Thursday, the Vatican’s long-running financial fraud, extortion and corruption trial resumes, with defense attorneys offering final arguments ahead of a verdict expected before the end of the year.
Tennessee court to decide if school shooting families can keep police records from public release
By Travis Loller — October 17, 2023
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Metro government attorneys have said the records can be made public, but only after the investigation is officially closed, which could take months.
An Arizona school board member was told to stop quoting the Bible. Now she’s suing.
By Kathryn Post — October 2, 2023
(RNS) — Heather Rooks, a Christian who attends a large nondenominational church, says her First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of religion have been violated.
Religious liberty is becoming a go-to right for everyone
By Mark Silk — September 27, 2023
(RNS) — A legal strategy pioneered by the right has been adopted by the left.
