New York poised to strengthen oversight of nonpublic schools
By Carolyn Thompson — September 13, 2022
A Board of Regents committee unanimously approved guidelines Monday to make sure instruction at the state's private and religious schools is equivalent to that of its public schools, following years of complaints that some ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools were not meeting basic academic standards.
Indiana abortion ban challenged under religious freedom law
By Tom Davies — September 9, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A lawsuit filed on Thursday by the ACLU of Indiana argues that the abortion ban set to take effect next week violates a state religious-freedom law that was approved by Republican lawmakers in 2015.
Beijing hounds Chinese church seeking safety overseas
By Tassanee Vejpongsa and Dake Kang — September 7, 2022
BANGKOK (AP) — The story of the exile of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church illustrates how the Chinese government is going to increasing lengths to control religious faith and its citizens, even far outside its borders.
Wisconsin GOP candidate calls for ‘pitchforks and torches’
By Scott Bauer — September 6, 2022
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Tim Michels, Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor endorsed by Donald Trump, is calling for people to “get out on the streets with pitchforks and torches” in reaction to a story detailing his large donations to ant-abortion and church groups.
UN cites possible crimes vs. humanity in China’s Xinjiang
By Edith M. Lederer and Jamey Keaten — September 1, 2022
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights office said that China's discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang "may constitute crimes against humanity" in a long-awaited report released Wednesday.
Chaplain who sexually abused inmates gets 7 years in prison
By Michael R. Sisak and Michael Balsamo — September 1, 2022
(AP) – A chaplain at a California federal women's prison was sentenced to seven years in jail for "egregious" sexual abuse against inmates. He is one of the five workers at the prison charged in the last 14 months for the same crime.
